


12 Days of Christmas

by Deathstar1210



Category: Bodyguard (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:20:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 34,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21903625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deathstar1210/pseuds/Deathstar1210
Summary: This takes place over 12 Days of ChristmasThis is for madamehomesecretaryThings they would like in a fic:Fluff, babies AU David/JuliaThree things they would not like in a fic:...I don't think there is anything
Relationships: David Budd & Julia Montague, David Budd/Julia Montague
Comments: 27
Kudos: 144
Collections: LavenderBudd Fic Exchange





	1. 22nd December

**Author's Note:**

  * For [madamehomesecretary](https://archiveofourown.org/users/madamehomesecretary/gifts).



> I may upload a couple of days within one chapter or several chapters at a time over the hols rather then every day.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy it but in particular I hope Madamehomesecretary enjoys it!

22nd December

David’s hands were about to drop off as he stood in the corner of the wooden, Tudor building of Liberty’s. He had lost sight of Julia and Ella long ago with Kim following them closely behind. Choosing instead to park himself and all their Christmas shopping in the nearest corner with a chair for Charlie to sit on and a space for the pushchair. This wasn’t his idea of fun as Charlie sat beside him draining David’s phone of battery whilst he played on a game. Parliament had shut for Christmas and Julia’s leave had officially started a part from one more obligation. This was not how he had expected to spend their first day off together. The past year had gone by in a whirlwind. The press had stopped chasing them around in summer when the scandal surrounding the prime minister was finally unearthed. Suddenly a home secretary sleeping with her bodyguard wasn’t as juicy.

Julia and Ella were standing in the queue, their hands full of presents for all of Julia and David’s relatives. “Julia, how come Santa doesn’t bring old people presents?” Julia looked down at the little girl she had grown so fond of over the past year. Her eyes as blue as David’s and her face as pretty as her mothers.

“He has too many children like You, Charlie and Aimee to make presents for” Ella had been far too inquisitive about Christmas for her liking and she was quickly running out of responses. Glad of the queue moving forward she distracted Ella further “Why don’t you go and pick you and your brother and sister a Christmas bauble each”. Julia watched her carefully as she trotted off to the nearby wall of decorations and selected three different coloured fluffy mice with Christmas hats on for them all under the watchful eye of Kim.

“Sorry, the tills were so busy” David helped Julia to load as much of the small bags as they could under the pushchair and grabbed the larger ones from her, adding them to his growing collection. Julia pulled Ella’s hat out of her handbag and handed it to her before pulling Charlie’s down over his ears.

“I still don’t understand why we didn’t just do it all online”

“David, we have been through this. I like shopping, especially at Christmas as it gets me in the Christmas spirit” She grabbed the pushchair and manoeuvred it through the shop and out into the crisp, icy air. The sound of carols filling the air as they walked past a salvation army band playing in the street. Charlie tugged at Julia’s sleeve. “Can we watch them?”

David looked at Julia and Charlie. Both their faces daring him to deny them. “One song”

Charlie and Ella skipped off to join the small crowd that had formed, the pom poms on the tops of their woolly hats bobbing about on their heads. David couldn’t believe how well Julia had taken to Charlie and Ella and just how well they had taken to her. It wasn’t until Vicky had Aimee with her new partner that he realised how maternal she truly was. They often took Aimee for the odd night so Vicky and Andy could have some time to themselves and they had agreed to have her today so they could wrap all the kids presents whilst they were out the house. Him and Julia had discussed having children but had never really tried. Julia was a firm believer in fate. “If it’s meant to be it will be” was her attitude and as David already had Charlie and Ella she didn’t see why they needed more in their lives. If the amount of presents she had bought for them was anything to go by she wouldn’t be able to afford one of their own. He looked over at her leant over the pushchair putting Aimee’s dummy back in, her hair falling into her face, covering her rosy cheeks, caused by the chill in the air and the warm department stores. Each time he looked at her he couldn’t help thinking she was more beautiful than the last.

Julia raised her head and caught him looking at her. She smiled at him, grabbing some of the bags from him. “Here have a break. We haven’t got much more to get. How about we finish up, get back to the flat with the kids and put a Christmas film on”

“Now that sounds perfect” David leant forward and kissed her on the lips quickly. Their public displays of affection were short and sweet. David had got used to ignoring passers by recognising Julia as she walked down the street however not a week went by where her face didn’t crop up in a newspaper or online. Even now as they stood a small distance away from the crowd David could see people looking over, trying to work out if the woman in jeans, trainers, grey coat and fluffy bobble hat was in fact their home secretary.

With only a few more gifts to get they weaved through the dense crowds of Oxford Street towards Selfridges. For once David was appreciative of Julia’s status. When they arrived at the store, with a few words from Kim, they were whisked up to the second floor and through the doors of the personal shopping department. David, Charlie and Ella made a beeline for the sumptuous velvet sofas in the centre of the room as Julia handed a list to the lady who had greeted them. The lady scurried away as Julia was met by another who directed her into a side room. “I’m picking my party dress Ella. Do you want to come and help me?”. Ella’s eyes lit up and she practically ran towards Julia. David smiled and groaned all at once. Despite being on her break Julia still had one more occasion to fulfil tomorrow evening. Her works Christmas Do. This was not the kind of Christmas Do David was used to. His usually involved a night down the nearest pub with a poor looking buffet. Julia’s however was a black- tie Christmas ball with a five-course meal and band at the Dorchester.

Settling back on the sofa David waited. Waited until the personal shopper laid out a range of scarves in front of him for Julia’s Mother. He was yet to meet Julia’s Mother, but the persistent shopper seemed eager for him to choose something as she waited to lay out more gift choices for the next person on the list. Feeling a little panicked at the situation unfolding he stood and knocked gently on the side door where Julia and Ella were still choosing dresses. Ella opened the door slightly and he could just make out the clothes rail full of jewel coloured evening gowns behind her. “What is it David?” Julia’s voice sung out from behind the door.

“You need to pick a scarf for your Mum”

“I can’t really come out right now. Just pick one. She won’t wear it anyway. Never wears anything I buy her”

“Can you not just quickly choose one?”

“No David”

“Daddy. It’s not that hard just pick a nice one” Ella looked up at him pondering what was so difficult about Julia’s request.

“Ok love”

He shut the door and traipsed back over to the now slightly irate looking personal shopper. Looking down at the array in front of him he pointed to a lavender cashmere scarf. Within seconds the shopper had scooped it up, swept the other scarves to the side and laid out a new selection of men’s ties. These were for Julia’s senior advisors and having met a lot of them in his time as her PPO he felt on slightly more comfortable ground. After a large quantity of time pointing at items, he had started to enjoy himself, with Charlie even joining in when they got down to the secret Santa gift that they were required to take along to the ball tomorrow. As the shopper sent the items to be boxed up and gift-wrapped Kim helped to collect all the bags together before calling for David’s car to be brought to the service entrance.

As the last bags had been transported down Julia opened up the side door carrying a large garment bag. David was sitting with Aimee perched on the end of his knee whilst Charlie blew raspberries at her, causing her to release an infectious giggle into the luxurious but stuffy room. She watched as David’s face creased into laughter. The man he was a year ago was very different to the one who she now shared her life with. His therapy had been going well and once he admitted he needed help and began to take medication to help his anxiety and PTSD he had become much lighter and less intense. They hadn’t ruled out a child together, but she knew that his children and even Aimee were a part of his life and was only glad it was a life she now fit into. David caught her eye and she smiled at him as Ella took Aimee from him and sat her on her own knee.

David stood and took in the long, bulky garment bag that Julia had slung over her arm. The lady that had disappeared into the side room with them had come back and handed Julia an additional yellow shopping bag with a box inside it. David could see from the top of the bag that the box had a familiar name on. He had spent enough time undressing her over this past year to know the lingerie brand well. Approaching her he checked his surroundings for anyone who could overhear and lowered his voice to her ear “I’m intrigued to see what’s in the box”

Julia let his warm breath brush against her ear and she felt the all too familiar flip of excitement in her stomach as he spoke. She let a small smile curl at the side of her mouth as she caught his eye and raised her eyebrows at him suggestively “Well that all depends if you’re on the nice or naughty list this year”

They had got used to restraining themselves in public but if anything, it only seemed to increase their level of want for one another. David could smell the soft scent of her perfume as she turned her head back in the direction of the children. “and what if I am on the naughty list?”

Julia could see the personal shopper heading back in their direction with Kim and no doubt a huge bill to pay. Her and David’s moment of privacy within seconds of being disturbed “then you’re probably going to enjoy what’s in the box”

David’s mouth went slightly dry as Julia smiled at him playfully before switching on her winning politician’s smile to greet Kim and the shopper. He stood for a few seconds, composing himself before getting the children ready whilst Julia paid for the shopping. As he pushed Aimee along and Julia held Ella and Charlie’s hands a few steps ahead of him he couldn’t help but wonder what exactly what was in that box and suddenly the thought of the ball tomorrow night didn’t seem so bad.


	2. 23rd December

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David and Julia attend her Christmas Party

The cold air woke Julia and she snuggled herself deeper into the soft bed covers. It was still dark outside. The winter mornings weren’t the favourite part of the season for her but she enjoyed the crisp, icy weather. She could hear David breathing softly behind her, his hand loosely draped around her waist. Neither appeared to have moved since falling asleep last night. The children had left in the early evening and David and Julia, too tired from their takeaway and a glass of wine had climbed into bed. Their eyes closing as soon as their heads hit the pillow. It was as if Julia’s body knew she was on a break and all the tiredness from between summer and now had caught up with her. For once she had woken up naturally instead of the shrill of her alarm clock surprising her. Aware she had all day ahead of her with no work to do she closed her eyes again and drifted back to sleep.

It was the movement of David pushing his body closer to her that woke her. His hand now splayed across her bare stomach, underneath her silk pyjama top and his thumb stroking her skin softly. His face nuzzling into her neck, placing a soft kiss behind her ear. Opening her eyes Julia noticed the brighter morning light and knew it must be much later. “Morning” Her voice was hoarse with sleep but David loved the sound of it on a morning.

“Morning love” her soft skin felt warm against his hand and he propped himself up on his other elbow, so he was looking down at her. Julia turned in bed at his movement, his head resting against his hand and his other hand now running across her stomach to her waist. She reached an arm out from under the covers and pulled him by his t-shirt towards her kissing him softly. David reciprocated lightly, both enjoying the moment. David pulled back, looking into Julia’s eye “I love you”

Every time David said those words her heart skipped a beat. “I love you too” They kissed again, their passion growing more intense as David’s hands roamed further up her pyjama top, teasing her nipples. His tongue against hers as their legs tangled together under the covers. Julia could feel how hard David was against her thigh as he pressed against her silk shorts through his boxers. She reached a hand between their bodies and rubbed it against him causing him to groan against their joined lips. David ran his hand down her body under the elastic of Julia’s shorts and felt the wetness between her legs. Circling his finger over her Julia gasped as she felt a wave of pleasure course through her. Her own hands finding her way under the elastic of his boxer shorts and wrapping around him. They both worked each other until their groans filled the bedroom and the cool air warmed around them. Julia lost contact with David’s lips as he slid two fingers inside of her. Her own strokes grew quicker at this point as David threw the covers from them both. Her pyjama shirt now open as he bent his head down and kissed her breasts before capturing one her nipples in her mouth and sucking on it as he bucked against her moving hand. Within minutes he had removed his hand from between Julia’s legs and was spilling over her stomach. His warm release running over her as she waited for him to recover. Expecting him to pick back up where he left off Julia waited patiently, her own excitement about to reach its peak when David knelt beside her.

David was aware of Julia’s expectant look as he knelt next to her and he placed both his hands either side of her head as he bent down towards her and kissed her. “You’re not allowed to come until later”.

Julia opened her eyes to look at him and check if he was being serious “David” her voice edged with frustration. He looked back at her, his eyes challenging hers and then sat back on his heels again. Feeling completely unsatisfied Julia slid her own hands into her silk shorts before David reached forward and pulled it out again, pinning it above her head.

“Wait. Wait until later. Trust me, it will be worth it” David knew if he could make her wait until later, he would make sure she was fully satisfied. He kissed her again. This time pulling her up with him until she was sitting in bed, his release running down her stomach. Julia slipped her shirt from her shoulders and pulled away from him letting him take in the sight of her naked chest as she got out of bed and slid her shorts down her legs. David admired her now naked body as she flung her shorts onto the bed.

“It better be worth it” He had played this game with her once before and she knew from experience it was well worth it but that wasn’t going to stop her trying to break his own resolve. David’s eyes followed her as she walked towards the main bathroom, her skin golden in the morning light, her hips swaying slightly more than normal for his benefit.

As Julia sank into a warm bath David stood in the bathroom shaving for the ball later and brushing his teeth. They had grown comfortable in each other’s company and although David hadn’t lived with Julia for long it felt like he had always been there. They had converted the spare room into a room for the kids so they could stay over, and she had grown used to finding toys and the odd pair of small shoes dotted around the place. It made it feel more like a home than it had the whole time she had lived there. David disappeared off to their en-suite to shower as Julia washed and rinsed her hair. David walked back in with his towel wrapped around his waist as she was applying moisturiser to her body. His hands wrapping around her from behind and spinning her to face him, lips crashing against hers. Julia immediately responded, all frustrations from before bubbling back to the surface. As she moaned into his mouth he pulled away, leaving her stood breathless and flushed. Julia knew his tactic and she knew he would be doing this for the rest of the day until she was so on edge she would be begging him to carry on.

It was early afternoon when David walked up behind Julia who was pouring a drink at the island in the kitchen. His hands on her waist, lips on her neck as he trailed up behind her ear, her head leaning back against him. Julia had stopped pouring her drink abruptly as she succumbed to his touch again. This time his hand moving down from her waist and pressing down the front of her silk midi skirt. His hand rubbing against her as it had this morning but this time through her underwear. Julia let the waves of pleasure ride through her again despite trying to stop herself. She knew it wasn’t going to last. He waited until she gasped as she had before and removed his hand. Letting her head rest back against his shoulder he wrapped his arms around her waist. The soft cashmere of her jumper soft against his bare forearms and her perfume engrained in the fabric. Julia didn’t know if she could last if he did it again but she was also stubborn enough to know she wasn’t ready to beg him…just yet.

The evening came around quickly and Julia was alone in the flat to get herself ready whilst David had gone back to his old flat to pick up his tux. He was still in the process of moving his stuff over a bit at a time. Julia picked out the box of new lingerie she had bought yesterday from the bag on the dining table and took the contents into the bedroom. She stepped into the black lace trimmed knickers with a small bow sewn onto the front, centre waistband. She had curled her chestnut hair into voluminous curls that now framed her face. The diamond studs given to her by her mother caught the light as she twisted in the mirror to smooth the mesh of her underwear over her behind. Spritzing her perfume over her bare skin she smirked to herself as she heard the door to the flat open and David shout he was home.

David spotted the open box on the dining table as he wandered into the living room. He had dressed at the flat to give Julia space to get ready and was carrying his tux jacket in his hand. Hanging it on the back of the dining room chair he went to the bedroom. Just in time to see Julia doing up the clasp on her strapless bra. She could see him in the mirror as he leant against the door frame. He admired her new underwear. The mesh knickers completely see through from where he was standing, emphasising her perfect, curvaceous behind. The bra was as equally arousing with the matching lace taking up the top half of the cup of each breast and flowing over each nipple. The lower part of her breast left uncovered by fabric before the wire followed the curve of her chest. Julia let David take in the sight of her. She admired him in the reflection. His white dress shirt unbuttoned at the collar showing a spray of his dark chest hair. His piercing blue eyes running down her body intensely. She turned her body and made towards him. He took in every inch of her until her arms were around his neck, her lips on his, seducing him. She felt in control this time as she pushed her body up against him, his spicy aftershave mixing with her own perfume. David reacted as she had expected, his kiss growing hungrier and the bulge in his trousers growing harder. She cupped him through his trousers encouraging him on, feeling her own desire growing again as he went to tease her for the third time that day.

Julia worked quickly undoing his trousers and releasing him from his white boxers, David’s fingers running along her folds, spreading the wetness that had lingered all day in anticipation and want for him. He teased her again, pulling his hands away and up to her half concealed breasts “Fuck Julia. This bra is so hot. Are you sure we have to go to this ball?”

Julia laughed against his lips. “I’m afraid so but I’m sure you promised to make it worth my while later”

“how about now?”

Julia was impressed at how little it had taken to break him. She looked at his eyes pleading with hers and she shook her head. She was taking charge now “When I say”. With that she released him from her grip and kissed him again. “We need to get going. Kim will be here soon”.

A little stunned at how quickly he had lost control of the situation David tucked himself back in and fastened his shirt properly and put his bow tie on. Julie had disappeared back into the bedroom. He let Kim in and she briefed him on the arrangements for the evening. He was all too familiar with events like these and it was still a novelty being on the other side of things. As he was speaking to Kim he noticed her attention move to behind him as she spoke and her smile “Good evening Ma’am”

“Good evening Kim”

David turned and the sight of Julia before him took his breath away. She was wearing an off shoulder burgundy red velvet gown. The dress nipped in at the waist before skimming over her hips into a slightly flared skirt. Down one side of the dress was a slit that ran mid-way up her thigh. Julia has picked a gold pair of strappy sandals that fastened at the ankle and a gold clutch bag.

“I hope we won’t be back too late this evening. I’m sorry we are keeping you out late so close to Christmas”

“Not to worry Ma’am. All part of the job”

David was still admiring Julia as she placed her lipstick and phone into her handbag and he hadn’t noticed her and Kim now looking at him, waiting for him to respond to them. “Sorry did you say something?”

“we asked if you were ready”

“Yeah, yes…sorry. Let’s go” Julia and he followed Kim out of the flat and waited as she made sure it was locked and secure before leading them out to the car outside. It was in the car that David got the full sight of Julia’s leg, the slit in the dress riding higher up her leg as she sat beside him. As she clicked her seatbelt in place he rested his hand on her knee “You look amazing”. She smiled coyly at him, not wanting to break her professional exterior with Kim and her driver sitting in front of them. She placed her hand over his and they sat in companionable silence until they reached their destination.

The ballroom in the hotel was lit by a large Christmas tree taking centre stage with candles lit, leaving the room bathed in a soft glow. There was a large dancefloor in the centre of the room with some people already dancing along to the band playing festive hits. Julia was immediately greeted by a swarm of party representatives eager to brown nose and she patiently greeted them all whilst introducing David to them. He no longer had to stand behind her checking for security risks and instead stood alongside her shaking hands and making small talk. When he had chance, he took two glasses of champagne off a passing waiter and handed one to Julia. She looked at him gratefully and took a large gulp. Her eyes apologising for the people he had been expected to talk to. He finally managed to break himself away and left Julia talking to someone he recognised from the Home Office and dropped their Secret Santa gift on the designated table. He weaved in and around the tables circling the dancefloor. Large groups of people sat together tucking into the buffet food on offer whilst some sipped champagne and danced. He could see Julia over the other side of the dancefloor. Another crowd around her as she charmed them with her looks and winning smile. When they walked in, he hadn’t failed to notice the amount of people who had admired her. He still could quite believe she was with him.

Julia was eager to get to David. She was on her third glass of champagne now and was no longer listening to the grey-haired man talking about foreign policy to her. She excused herself politely from the conversation and scanned her eyes around the room. She spotted him chatting to a small dark haired woman who she knew to be a generous financial contributor to the Conservative party but also was notorious for not knowing when to shut up. Feeling the need to rescue him Julia crossed the dancefloor, ignoring the glances from the dancers around her. She grazed her hand across David’s back and he turned to greet her with gritted teeth “Hi love”

“Hi David. Sorry to interrupt you two but could I steal David away from you for a second”

“Oh Miss Montague. I was just telling David all about my grandchildren”

“Oh how lovely”Julia had already turned away before the lady could say another word and swept David onto the dancefloor.

“I can not thank you enough” David sighed in relief as he placed his hand on the small of Julia’s back and took her other hand in his and began to lead her around the dancefloor.

“I didn’t know you could dance” Julia was surprised at how he had instantly swept her into his arms and was guiding her along to the music.

“I’m a man of many talents”

“Oh I know” she raised one eyebrow at him suggestively as she bit her bottom lip causing him to push his hips closer to hers. As the song changed and the pace slowed slightly, she moved her arms around his neck, and they danced together on the spot. Julia could feel David’s bulge against her leg and she subtly swayed her hips against him. David’s hands held her waist tight to him, their bodies moving as one as they danced. Completely lost in the moment they kept their eyes on one another as the band finished playing and party applauded them. Startled at the noise, David and Julia stepped back from one another clapping along with the rest of the dancefloor.

Julia led them off the dancefloor to a quiet, unoccupied table in the corner of the room. The only light around the table was the large pillar candle in the middle of the table. With many of the party merrily dancing and drinking David and Julia looked inconspicuous. Kim had spotted them but kept her distance, safe in the knowledge that David was more than capable of looking after Julia. The candlelight reflected off Julia’s silken skin and he looked down at her bare leg as the fabric of her dress parted upon sitting down. Hidden by the table cloth he placed his hand on her thigh. Julia completely beguiled by him rested her elbow on the table and rested her head on her hand, giving David intense eye contact. David slid his hand further up her thigh and noticed Julia take in a deep breath, her chest rising and pushing against the top of her dress, emphasising the roundness of her breasts. An intense feeling of pleasure ran through Julia’s thighs as they all too familiar excitement from the day rushed back between her legs. Exacerbated more when David fingers brushed against her underwear, his eyes still trained on hers. She let out a shaky breath, her body becoming warmer as she felt her desire rising. Grabbing David’s hand and holding it against her knickers she broke eye contact with him, her lips moving to his ear “I need you now David” her eyes coming back to meet his “right now”.

Luckily David had been to this hotel on many occasions as her PPO and knew from speaking to Kim earlier which rooms were in use and which were closed off in the near vicinity. With a nod to Kim he gestured that they would be back and he swept Julia down a series of deserted corridors and swiftly pulled her into a very dimly lit conference room where they could just about make one another out. As soon as David clicked the door shut Julia grabbed the lapels of his dinner jacket and pushed him against it. Her lips hot and wet on his as she hungrily delved her tongue into his mouth in a hot passionate kiss. David responded instantly. His hands on her bum pulling her into him and his lips moving down onto her neck kissing along her bare shoulders. Julias hands found the now hard bulge in David’s trousers and she sought the button and zip on his trousers quickly, dipping her hand into his boxers and releasing him. She was more turned on than she thought possible as David found the slit in her dress and pulled the fabric up and pushed her knickers to one side. She heard how wet she was as he inserted two fingers inside her, as he had done this morning, however now she was much more turned on and eager for him to finish what he started. She ran her hand down his length, stroking him up and down quickly as he moved in and out of her. Their groans filling the room and their loud breaths hot in one anothers ear. David suddenly removed his fingers and exchanged places with Julia, pushing her against the door and dropping to his knees. Her hands now empty of him and helping him gather the fabric of her dress up around her waist as she shimmied her underwear off with David’s help. With her knickers discarded Julia gasped loudly at David’s tongue between her legs. Licking and sucking at her, one hand holding the fabric of her dress and the other on the top of his head, urging him on. David hooked one of Julia’s legs over his shoulder pushing his tongue against her, revelling in her taste and aroma. The quivering in her legs started first as the sensation rose up and took her body to oblivion. She cried out in ecstasy as David supported her, giving her time to recover. Bringing her head forward and opening her eyes she dragged David up from his knees and took him in her hands again, guiding his tip towards her. He thrust into her eagerly. She hooked a leg around his waist as he pushed into her quickly, grunting against the crook of her neck. It wasn’t long before Julia was tightening around him and she was crying out in pleasure again. Her cries urging him on until he spilled inside her, their bodies entwined and panting together. Their eyes having adjusted to the light now they kissed each other softly as they came down from their high.

David made the first move as he slipped out of her and bent to pull his trousers back up. Julia fumbled about on the floor for her underwear and quickly put her knickers back on, trying to ignore the damp fabric as she pulled them up. She readjusted her dress as David buttoned his jacket back up. David watched her trying to smooth down her now slightly undone hair and he brushed a stray lock out of her eyes before capturing her lips one last time. “I love you”

Julia loved it when he said those three words. “After that, I think I love you more than ever”

David laughed pulling her quickly back out into the corridor, noticing the glow in her now somewhat rosier cheeks and the way her lips had swollen from their kissing. He didn’t understand how she looked even sexier after sex than she had done before. Julia reached out to his lips wiping all signs of her glossy lipstick from his mouth as they gave each other a once over to check they didn’t look like they had just been fucking in a conference room.

Hand in hand they re-entered the ballroom. Their presence noted by Kim with a small nod. Most of the party were up and dancing and had barely noticed their absence. David grabbed him and Julia a glass of champagne each off a passing waiter. “Cheers to us” David raised his glass.

Julia clinked her glass against David’s “To us”.


	3. 24th December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 100% fluff and some majorly cheesy lines!

24th December

“For fucks sake David will you just pass me the Sellotape” Julia and David had spent the past hour wrapping the mountain of presents they had bought for the kids. They were not waking up with them in the morning but would be spending the evening with them and stopping over into Boxing Day. Julia however, was adamant that all the presents would be wrapped in time for them to snuggle down on the sofa to watch a Christmas film. This was all fine with him a part from he hadn’t accounted for Julia’s OCD wrapping standards and her need to put intricate bows on every gift. As much as he tried to tell her that Charlie and Ella would only rip them off and not care about them she still ignored him. It hadn’t taken long for Julia to assess that David’s wrapping skills were not up to her usual standards and he was swiftly becoming more of a hindrance than a help. “Why don’t I just finish these off and you can pop back to the flat for whatever it is you need”

David didn’t need telling twice. He knew better than to argue with her tone and decided it was safer to make himself scarce. He unlocked the door to his sparse flat, now virtually empty as he had sold off a lot of his furniture. He walked into his bedroom where most of his belongings were still kept and packed some more clothes into a holdall. Every time he came he transported a holdall of clothes back to Julia’s to put into the space of wardrobe she had cleared for him. Reaching into the last remaining set of drawers in the room he lifted out the silver gift wrapped box he had stashed there when he bought it two weeks ago. David was still technically married with his and Vicky’s divorce being processed and he had thought long and hard about buying the gift until he spoke to the kids and asked what they thought. He shoved it into the bottom of the holdall, hidden from sight and picked up his post before making his way back to Julia’s flat.

Julia was curling the ribbon on the perfectly wrapped gifts as he entered the flat. She was sitting crossed legged in a pile of paper and presents, completely oblivious to the piece of small Sellotape hanging from her hair. David stepped over the gifts, removing it and bending to kiss her hello. Still knowing better than to continue to help he went into the bedroom and unpacked his clothes, hiding the box in between two folded jumpers. Unbeknown to him Julia had wanted him out the house so she could wrap the new walking boots and jacket she had bought him. He and the kids had been nagging her to go to Scotland to meet his parents and go walking and she had managed clear a weekend soon to make it possible. She was hoping to embrace the outdoor lifestyle that David raved about so much. She had also added the items to her own wardrobe and kitted out Charlie and Ella for the visit without David seeing. Vicky had been helpful in advising her on what they would need.

David poured them both a cold glass of white wine and handed one to Julia as she finished off wrapping the scarf he had picked for her mother. “Is the colour ok?”

Julia’s Mum was due the day after Boxing Day. “She will no doubt let me know if it isn’t”

“Jesus. I hate it when you say stuff like that. It makes me nervous to meet her”

“David. My mother and I barely have a civil word to say to one another. We are very different people. You will be fine. Her bark is worse than her bite”

“You’re not really making me feel much better here”

Julia shuffled on her knees towards where David was sitting on the sofa and took his hands in hers “Sorry. It means so much to me you’re meeting her, but I don’t think she has liked anyone I have introduced her to, so I don’t want you to get your hopes up. I love you though no matter what she thinks”

David sighed apprehensively. He wasn’t looking forward to the meeting but at the same time he wasn’t all that sure his parents would warm to Julia when they finally met her. He put it to the back of his mind as he watched Julia stack the presents under their Christmas tree. The tree was covered in colourful lights and filled with a mixture of classy decorations previously owned by Julia and a mixture or Charlie and Ella’s more colourful choices and handmade glittery efforts. She was wearing a pair of his grey jogging bottoms with a navy cashmere jumper. Her hair was clipped back and her face fresh of makeup. She wouldn’t be seen dead in public looking like this, but it was when David thought she looked at her most beautiful. Completely relaxed.

The night had grown dark by the time David and Julia had cleared away the wrapping paper and organised the gifts for the next day. Julia ran herself a bath as David prepared the Turkey for their Christmas Dinner. She wasn’t much of a cook and David enjoyed practicing his culinary skills. Sinking into the hot bath she let the hot water warm her body. The ball the previous night had left her tired despite her and David having a lie in. They had spent the morning cuddled in bed, enjoying not having to rush anywhere or leave one another in a hurry. Julia had been grateful for the extra sleep with her head a little fuzzy after the champagne the night before. She laid her head back in the bath, closing her eyes.

David placed the prepared turkey back into the fridge and walked into the bedroom. The aroma from the ensuite had filled the bedroom and he noticed through the open door. Her head leaning back against the back of the bath, her hair clipped on top of her head and her cheeks pink from the heat of the water. He swiftly grabbed a pile of blankets from the blanket box at the end of their bed and took them into the living room. He lit the candles around the room and turned the twinkling white Christmas tree lights on before switching the lights off. The room not lit with the soft candlelight he knelt down and turned the fire on, bathing the room in a warm glow. Setting the blankets out on the sofa he laid out a bottle of wine and cheese and biscuits on the coffee table ready for their cosy Christmas eve.

Julia woke on hearing David shutting the blanket box. She gave herself five more minutes before washing herself and rising out of the bath. She spritzed her body with a soft fragrance and went to the wardrobe. Wanting to be extra cosy she stole one of David’s soft, jumpers. Pulling the jumper out she caught a glimpse of silver wrapping paper. Standing on her tip toes she picked up the thin square package, her heart beating a little faster as she felt the jewellery case through the gift wrap. Putting it back she quickly folded up the jumper she had picked out and placed it back on top of the gift. Instead she reached to a different shelf and picked one of her own light cream oversized jumpers . She pulled it over her head and let it drop over her body, the hem of the jumper skimming her hips. She matched the jumper with her black silk pyjama shorts and a pair of cashmere bed socks and unclipped her hair, letting it fall around her face. With a slick of moisturiser and lip balm she walked out and joined David.

Julia took in the room that David had managed to make look festive and romantic at the same time. David was waiting on the sofa for her with a smile and had his arm open with a blanket, waiting for Julia to climb under it. David wrapped his arm around her as she leant into his chest and he kissed her head absent minded as she picked up the tv remote off the arm of the chair and pressed play on their chosen film. David had insisted they watch Die Hard. Julia couldn’t remember the last time she had sat down properly to watch a film.

As the film played David shuffled down on the sofa with Julia, laying behind her, holding her into him with the blankets over them. He wasn’t sure if it was the position or the heat of the fire that made him sleepy but a while later he felt Julia leap from the sofa, leaving the blanket trailing behind her. She had rushed over to the window. The streetlights were lighting the street outside but as David’s eyes readjusted to being awake he noticed the white flecks of snow falling outside. Julia looked round at him, full of excitement “Look David, its snowing!”

David propped himself up on the sofa, yawning as he got up and made his way over to the window “Aye so it is”

“You could be more excited David”

“Julia. I grew up in Scotland. It snowed all the time”

“Yes, David but its Christmas and it’s snowing”

David cuddled Julia from behind, his head resting on her shoulder as they watched the snow fall growing heavier and laying on the pavement and cars outside. “Yep”

“Well you might not be excited but I am. The kids are going to love it”

David’s heart warmed at the fact she was thinking about his kids and how they would be feeling. She spun her head round and down to where his rested on her shoulder and he kissed her cheek warmly.

“It makes me want to play White Christmas. I am going to go put it on” Julia practically skipped over to her phone and muted the film. She searched for the song and played it through the wireless speakers allowing it to fill every room.

David groaned. “This is the worst Christmas song”

Julia looked at him almost hurt. “Bing Crosby is the King of Christmas”

“Step into Christmas, Elton John, every time”

He pinched Julia’s phone from her loose grip, searching and playing the upbeat tune and turning the volume louder.

Julia shouted over the top of the music, reaching for her phone and chasing David until he released it. Turning the volume down she searched for another song, a grin on her face as she looked up at David and pressed play “I told you Bing Crosby is the King of Christmas”. “Let it snow!” sang out from the speakers as David laughed.

“How about we reach a compromise?”

“Impossible”

“and there speaks the politician” David teased her. The smile on her face infectious as he stood close to her. Taking the phone from her again he scrolled to a song. Julia tried to sneak a look, but David hid the screen from view. “How about a song about something I hope we both agree on” He hit play as the intro to the song started.

Julia rolled her eyes and slapped his arm playfully “Fucking hell David. Congratulations on the corniest line and song ever”

“I suppose. Great song though”

“So what you really mean is you wanted an excuse to play it”

“Obviously”

David and Julia were giggling together now and she leant forwards and pressed her lips to his. Their lips met softly, their tongues playing together softly as the chorus kicked in. The immortal words of Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You blasted from the speakers. Resting his forehead against Julia’s David couldn’t help but laugh as she held his face and joined in. Her voice breaking through music “It may be corny, but I agree. All I do want for Christmas is you”.

David raised his eyes to hers, trying not to laugh “Jesus Julia, I thought you were cooler than quoting Mariah Carey”

Completely aware of his teasing Julia pushed David away in mock horror and made for the sofa before David grabbed her hand pulling her back into him. They collapsed onto the sofa, their lips locked and stayed that way until the song finished. Julia completely oblivious to the fact that all David really did want for Christmas was her and her promise of her hand in marriage.


	4. 25th December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut and fluff - the best combo

25th December

David had slipped out of bed early. Julia was still sleeping, snuggled into the bed covers, her hair covering her face. He walked out of the bedroom into the cool of the flat. The snow outside turning the morning light a blue tone. Shivering her turned the heating on full and turned the kettle on. Whilst he waited for it to boil, he unfolded a breakfast tray that he suspected had hardly been used due to Julia’s busy lifestyle. On the tray he laid a round box of Julia’s favourite champagne truffles that he had managed to smuggle into the flat and hide a few days ago. With the kettle boiled he made himself and Julia a cup of fresh, strong coffee each and put them on the tray with the chocolates.

Julia rolled over in bed, her hand reaching out to the warm, empty space beside her. Opening her eyes, she saw David missing and listened out for him, suspecting he was in the bathroom. However, the smell of the freshly ground coffee gave away where he was. Julia brushed her hair from her face and sat up in bed. Her soft cream jumper still on and keeping her warm. She lifted her phone from her bedside table and text her mother Happy Christmas. She would speak to her later. Popping it back she opened the draw of her bedside table and pulled out a gold envelope that she had prepared yesterday and tucked it under her pillow. When she sat back again her eyes widened at David entering the bedroom. She was certain she had remembered David going to sleep in a long pair of checked pyjama bottoms and a tshirt last night but now as he eyes took in his bare feet and ran up his manly, bare legs it was clear he had discarded them. Her mouth gaped as her eyes reached the tight white Calvin Klein boxers that clung to his upper thighs and fit snugly, bringing all kinds of thoughts to Julia’s mind. She barely noticed the tray as he made towards her, his muscled torso twisting as he walked. Julia was smiling now. A gleeful, excited smile as she noticed the red Santa hat he was wearing.

David placed the tray down on the bed and kneeled forward to kiss Julia. “Merry Christmas love”

“Merry Christmas” She pulled the covers back for him to climb in next to her. Slightly disappointed when he pulled them back over his naked chest. “You got my favourite chocolates”

“Of course, I did. It’s Christmas”

Julia unwrapped the luxury truffles and picked one out. She placed it on David’s lips and motioned for him to open his mouth for her to feed him. She then picked one for herself and shut her eyes as she let the flavour fill her mouth. “Mmmm they are so good”

David placed his arm around her shoulder and she rested her head against him, enjoying the warmth of his body. The soft cashmere of her socks tickled his skin as she rubbed her feet against his, her smooth legs tangling with his. They sipped their coffee undisturbed until David’s phone began to vibrate on the table next to him. Charlie and Ella’s face filled the screen when he answered their facetime. With his arm still around Julia and his hat still on his head he greeted his children. Their excited voices and giggles making Julia laugh with them as they reeled off all the presents, they had opened. Julia couldn’t wait for them to come around later and fill her flat with their cheer. David’s arm tightened around her when he eventually said goodbye to them. Both arms enclosing her in a tight hug.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get to be there when they woke up” she knew this was his first proper Christmas away from the kids.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. It was part of the agreement. Besides we will have them here next year, with us” He kissed her head lovingly. 

Noticing Julia had finished her coffee he took her cup from her and put it on the tray which he lifted onto the floor. Leaning back he took Julia in his arms again, cuddling her into him and shuffling under the warm covers. Julia rested her hand against his warm chest and ran her fingers through his chest hair. “Oh I nearly forgot” Julia raised herself up and slipped her hand under her pillow, pulling out the gold envelope. “I know we said we weren’t doing presents until this afternoon, but I don’t think the kids will be able to keep it to themselves”

David took the envelope and opened it, pulling out a set of white tickets. “Plane tickets…to Glasgow” He looked at Julia surprised “I thought you said you couldn’t take the time off”

“Well…I lied and rearranged a few things. I know how much it means to you”

“Thank you. The kids love it up there. I hope you will too” He kissed her on the lips this time, a long lingering kiss that sent a thrill through Julia’s body. Before he had chance to pull away Julia intensified the kiss, pressing her lips to his harder, a small moan of pleasure escaping her mouth. David blindly reached behind him, placing the tickets on the side, eager to have both hands free. He pulled the Santa hat from his head and flung it onto the floor as Julia’s hands ran up his back and up his neck, into his hair pulling his face closer to hers. Her tongue pushed gently into his mouth, flicking against his. David hooked one hand under the hem of Julia’s soft jumper and felt the warmth of the smooth skin of her stomach. His fingers grazing her breast first and then moving to circle and tweak at her nipple. Julia sighed at his touch and she pushed her leg between his, rubbing her thigh against the prominent bulge pushing against his boxer shorts. She could feel him hardening, the more they kissed, and she let him roll her onto her back and enjoyed his weight pressing against her as moved against her.

David kissed along Julia’s jaw, down her neck until he reached the round neck of her jumper. “You’re wearing too many clothes”. His words whispered heavily against her skin.

“Undress me” Julia’s voice responded, equally as breathless but with a sense of urgency and frustration. Julia raised her arms as David pulled the jumper from her and devoured her breasts with his mouth, moving down her body until he reached her black silk shorts. Hooking his fingers into their waistband he gathered the shorts and her knickers at the same time, pulling them down her legs and throwing them to the floor. He grabbed both ends of her socks at the toes and pulled them from her feet leaving her laid completely naked before him. The temperature now rising in the flat he could see her skin flushed with anticipation. Leaning back over her he let his hands roam over her body and dip between her legs, feeling her excitement. As he delved his fingers inside her Julia let out a loud gasp, her head moving back against the pillow and her hands grabbing David’s hair and pulling his lips back to hers. He moving his fingers in and out of her, letting his thumb circle around her. “Now who’s wearing too many clothes” She smiled against his mouth letting the pleasure build in her. Her hands smoothed over his back pulling the elastic waistband down over his bum where she grabbed and squeezed at his firm buttocks.

David got the hint and he quickly rolled away from her removing his boxers. His long, hard erection springing out of the tight fabric. Julia sat up towards him, her hands missing the feel of his skin and her lips his kiss. David knelt, pulling Julia onto him, her legs either side of him as he wrapped his arms around her, his hands running up the back of her neck into her hair. He was intoxicated by her, letting her rub against him. Her breasts pressed against his chest as he felt the wetness between her legs sliding against his length. Their moans mingled in the air of the bedroom as they passionately and hurriedly guided one another together. Julia sinking down onto David, him stretching and filling her as she took him all in. David’s eyes closed at the feel of her consuming him and he placed his hands under her bottom guiding her up and down. She moved slowly, rocking and circling her hips as she moved, gradually quickening the pace as their breathing grew faster. “Fuck…Julia” was all David could manage as she tipped her head back, exposing her long delicate neck to him. He bucked into her, faster, hearing her groan in satisfaction as she tightened around him, her body trembling in pleasure. Her loud cries only seemed to encourage him more as he came inside her, holding her too him. Their bodies entwined together.

Julia stayed straddling David until her body came down from their love making. She could feel his heart beating against her chest. “That was amazing” She pressed small kisses against his lips as she spoke.

“I think this should become a Christmas tradition”

“Hm me too” Julia played with David’s hair as he buried his face into her neck, enjoying still being inside of her.

Julia eventually moved first, causing him to slide out of her losing contact as she climbed off the bed, taking his hand in hers and looking at him seductively “Let’s get cleaned up”

The second time that morning was faster, their bodies tangled together under the warm running water. Julia’s hands pressed against the bathroom tiles as David reached around her from behind hooking his hand under one leg an entering her from behind. Her loud cries echoing through the flat. If she hadn’t already given David the plane tickets this would be the best gift, she could have given him for Christmas.

By the time the kids arrived David and Julia were dressed with food prepared and presents ready to be unwrapped. David was dressed in a black jumper with dark denim jeans, courtesy of Julia’s classic style and taste whilst she dressed in a mid-length dark purple dress with small metallic stars stitched into the fabric. Charlie and Ella bundled through the flat door with Vicky. New toys in hand and practically tripping over one another to wrap their arms around David and then Julia. David and Julia both hugged and kissed Vicky, wishing her a Merry Christmas and gave her a gift they had bought for Aimee. Julia left her and David to chat as she walked back into the living room to join Charlie and Ella on the sofa, sitting between them and wrapping her arms around them, kissing their heads. Charlie was showing Julia his new toy when David came back in and picked Ella up, spinning her in the air before doing the same with Charlie as Julia held his toy. Both children giggled and laughed, dragging Julia up off the sofa and urging David to pick her up and do the same. With a scream he slung her over his shoulder spinning her around as well. Thoroughly dizzy Julia collapsed back on the sofa with the children and David. The four of them sat together catching up on the day as the smell of Turkey filled the flat.

After dinner Charlie and Ella waited patiently whilst Julia and David collected their presents for them. Santa being so up to date this year that he knew they would be at two different houses so had left presents for them at Julia’s as well. Charlie and Ella’s eyes grew more excited as they saw the pile he had left and within minutes they were ripping Julia’s perfect wrapping paper off them as she filmed and took pictures of their little smiling faces. Ella slightly more in tune with Christmas than Charlie hugged Julia tightly, whispering “thank you” out of earshot of her younger brother. Julia stroked the top of her head and pressed a kissed to it.

David collected up the rubbish as the children opened and played with their new things and Julia folded and piled up the new clothes and pyjamas, she had got them to keep at her flat instead of transporting things over every time they visited. David had overseen the ‘fun’ presents and he was now the reason why her pristine grey carpet was covered in tiny Lego pieces. With the flat looking a little tidier she went to the bedroom and pulled out a large decorated Christmas box containing David’s present. Ella and Charlie immediately pushed the Lego pieces to the side as she placed it on the coffee table. David eyeballed Julia from across the room. “What’s that?”

“It’s the rest of your present. Happy Christmas”

David walked over to the large box and pecked her on her cheek. “Thanks love but the flights were enough. You shouldn’t have got me anything else”

Julia gave him a withering look which he knew meant ‘shut up David’ and he let Charlie help him lift the lid off. He pulled out the expensive looking walking jacket from the top of the box, holding it up in the air and beaming at Julia, “This is going to be great for Scotland”

“Duh, Daddy. That’s why she got you it” Ella looked at him as if he was stupid whilst Julia sniggered in the background at her comment to David. Charlie carried it off to one side for him whilst he dug into the box further, picking the largest of three boxes left in the bottom. A pair of fine leather walking boots that he would never be able to afford on his police officers wage.

“Julia you really shouldn’t have” admired them until Ella pushed the second largest box into his hand. He opened that to find a charcoal grey jumper that he suspected again cost far more than he could ever afford. Looking down at the final box he lifted it out feeling the weight of it. Unwrapping the paper around it he found a tan leather case. Flipping it open he was shocked to find a beautiful gold watch. He removed it from the case and looked at Julia who was now stood beside him.

“I hope you like it”

“I love it. I don’t know what to say” He held the watch in his hand and kissed Julia. His eyes staring into hers as he pulled away. “Thank you”

Julia took the watch from him, flipping it over and handing it back to him. She watched him read the engraving on the back _‘because it’s our choice’._ David looked back at her, smiling. “It’s perfect” He was touched by her thoughtful gift and removed his old, worn watch and replaced it with the new luxurious but understated one.

“Can we give you your presents now?” Charlie was standing between them, looking up at the expectantly.

Julia reached down for him and lifted him up “I can’t believe you have got us a present”

“Of course we have. We get everyone in the family a present”. Completely unaware of what he just said affecting Julia he slid down her body to the floor and ran into his and Ella’s room. Julia felt a tear come to her eye as David realised what Charlie had said. Hugging her tightly he held her as she let the word ‘family’ sink in. She hadn’t been part of a family for a long time and to be accepted into this one by David’s children was all she could have wished for.

“He’s right you know. You are their family now” David spoke to her softly as she rested her chin on his shoulder. “You might not be their Mum but you are a big part of their lives, especially after all the time they spent round here when Aimee was born”

“I just didn’t expect it. I don’t know why I am so emotional”

“I don’t think I have seen you this upset since they made you watch Lion King

“His Dad died David. It was awful. In fact, don’t talk about it or I might cry more, thinking about it”

“If people knew Julia Montague cried at Disney films, I reckon you’d lose votes”

“Well don’t go spreading it around” Julia’s tears turning into laughter as the children came back into the room carrying two gifts. David and Julia sat side by side on the sofa as Charlie and Ella handed them a gift each.

“You have to open them together” Ella said, her voice bossy and staring particularly at David as if to emphasise her instruction.

After Charlie counted to three they both ripped the paper from their gifts and held a mug each in front of them. “I did yours Daddy and Charlie did yours Julia”. Julia span the colourful, hand decorated mug around in her hands taking in the picture Charlie had drawn of all four of them. She recognised the image from a day they had spent at a local but discreet play area in the park. The red swings were drawn behind the childish but endearing drawings of each of them. Her grin broadening as she read each of their names under the figures _‘Daddy, Ella, Charlie and Julya’._ Ella noticed her reading the names and rolled her eyes as she spoke “Charlie didn’t know how to spell your name Julia but it was too late to change it”

Seeing Charlie looking a little embarrassed she hugged him into her “I think that spelling is better, don’t you” Charlie nodded at her as she kissed his head “Thank you Charlie. I love it. I am going to use it everyday”

“Really?”

“Yes. Really”

Her heart warmed at the personal gift given to her and she made a mental note to thank Vicky as she assumed she was the mastermind behind it all.

“Well, there is one last gift” David had risen off the sofa and Ella and Charlie looked at him. Julia noticed a knowing look pass between all three of them as he walked into the bedroom. Charlie and Ella both took a seat either side of Julia and looked across at one another, trying not to giggle.

“What are you three up to?”

“Nothing” they both chirped in unison.

David walked back into the living room with the silver box she had accidentally stumbled across the previous evening. David looked a little nervous as he perched on the coffee table in front of her, holding the gift in his hand.

He handed her the box and kept hold of it as her hands went to take it “Happy Christmas”

Julia took the gift from him, carefully removing the tape and paper to reveal a dark blue, velvet box. She could see Ella and Charlie looking at David and she held her breath as she opened the box. Inside was a glittering, white gold necklace with a white gold ring looped through the chain. She picked up the ring and noticed the large diamond set into the band and looked to David who was watching her intently. “David this is beautiful”

“Julia, I love you so much” David shuffled forward onto one knee in front of Julia, removing the chain from the jewellery box and holding the ring in his hand.

Julia felt herself begin to shake, her heart leapt inside her chest as he got down on one knee “David…”

“I know it’s not the done thing to ask for someone’s hand in marriage when they are still technically married to someone else, but when have we ever gone about things normally” David took her trembling hand in his. “Julia will you marry me?”

“Yes, David. Yes” He had barely finished the question before she was reaching forward to him, hugging him tightly and pressing her lips to his. Charlie and Ella screaming next to her and wrapping their arms around them both.

David was laughing in Julia’s ear as he took in her answer and let the children jump on them. They had known for a few weeks but been sworn to secrecy by him and Vicky. He had wanted to ask for their approval and he had been comforted at their instant response of Yes.

“I know you can’t go walking around in public wearing an engagement ring from a married man so the chain means you can wear it close to your chest everyday instead. Until we can announce it properly anyway”

“I love it David. I really do” Julia held the ring up by the chain capturing it between her thumb and forefinger “However, when I’m at home I will wear it on my finger” She slipped the ring from the chain and slid it onto her ring finger, where it fit perfectly. “I honestly never thought I could be this happy”

David kissed her as the children went back to their Lego. He kissed her with all his heart. His life finally beginning to feel complete.


	5. 26th December

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julia's mother arrives a day early

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for those who have left kind comments and feedback so far. It means a lot when there are so many amazing fanfics to read.

26th December

It was 3.30am and Julia could hear movement in the living room. Uncurling herself from David she picked up a woollen cardigan that was laid on her chair in the corner of the room and wrapped it around her. The moonlight casting a soft light into the bedroom as she moved towards the door. Walking into the living room she could see light coming from the kitchen. The light from the open fridge door shone around the small figure reaching into it.

“Ella” Julia said softly so as not to frighten her.

Ella spun round in shock. “Sorry. I was trying to be really quiet”

Julia was standing next to her at the fridge, holding the door to stop it swinging back closed on Ella. “It’s ok darling, are you thirsty?”

Ella looked up at Julia with tears brimming in her eyes “I’ve got tummy ache and Mummy always makes me hot milk”

“Oh Ella, come here” Julia swept Ella into her arms and lifted her up, hugging her tightly. She sat her on the island in the kitchen as Ella’s tears began to fall properly.

“I think I ate too many sweets” Ella managed through her small sobs

“I think so too lovely. Let’s get you some hot milk and we can have a cuddle on the sofa until you feel better” Julia handed Ella a tissue and set about warming some milk in a pan. “Do you want me to wake your Dad?”

Ella shook her head. “No. Can I cuddle with you?”

“Of course you can. We will get wrapped up warm in front of the fire” Julia turned back to stir the milk with a small smile on her face. She poured the milk into a bright pink unicorn mug that she had bought for Ella when the children had started to come to hers. Her cupboards now collecting a range of weird and wonderful items, including the dinosaur towels and character toothbrushes in her bathroom cabinet.

As Ella held her stomach Julia carried her over to the sofa and put her warm milk on the table next to her. Creeping back into her bedroom to check David was still asleep she picked up the fleecy blanket at the foot of the bed and closed the door gently behind her. The living room was cold, and Ella was bundled up in the side of the sofa. Wrapping the blanket around Ella, Julia turned the fire on and pulled her onto her knee. “There we go. Let’s get you warm and see if this milk helps”. She held the mug up and blew on the milk to cool it before letting Ella take it. “Sip it in case it’s hot”

Ella sipped the milk, her tears stopping as it warmed and soothed her tummy. Julia rubbed her back gently until she had finished. “How are you feeling?”

“a bit better now”

“are you ready to go back to bed?”

Ella looked at her. The orange light of the fire the only thing lighting the room. “Could we stay and cuddle for a while?”

Julia wrapped her arms around her tightly as Ella rested her head against her chest. “We can sit here for as long as we need to”

Ella sighed into Julia’s chest as she got comfortable and wrapped her little hand around Julia’s. Her other hand coming forward to hold and twizzle Julia’s new ring that was glinting in the light. “Do you think you and Daddy will have bridesmaids at the wedding?”

Julia smiled to herself. Still not quite believing that David had asked her to marry him less than twelve hours ago. “Oh I imagine we will have the most beautiful bridesmaid ever”

“Really?” Ella lifted her head looking at Julia, her blue eyes, exactly like David’s staring into hers.

“Well only if you agree to be my bridesmaid”

Ella giggled in excitement. “Yes. I want to be your bridesmaid”

“Well in that case we will have the most beautiful bridesmaid ever” She pulled Ella to her tightly, kissing her on the top of her head. “You are going to look like a princess”

“I’m excited”

“Me too” Julia felt a little giddy at the thought of planning a wedding. In the whirlwind of David asking her and then entertaining the children she hadn’t really had time to let it all sink in. Her and David had gone to bed last night not long after the kids, both exhausted from playing games and the excitement of the day. They had laid in bed talking about how they would tell people and had decided to keep the news to themselves until after the divorce. They had got as far as discussing Julia’s Mum arriving tomorrow before David had fallen asleep mid-sentence.

Julia and Ella sat cuddled on the sofa as the fire warmed them, both enjoying the quiet and time together. As Ella’s head grew heavier on her chest Julia glanced down and noticed she had fallen asleep. Despite the early hour Julia decided to let her have ten more minutes on her knee in case she woke her and would carry her to bed, however within minutes Julia’s eyes were also closed and they both slept cuddled on the sofa, covered in the soft blanket.

David opened his eyes to the empty side of the bed and took a quick look around the bedroom, noticing the closed door. They rarely slept with the door completely closed so he knew Julia must already be up and hadn’t want to wake him. Plodding into the bathroom he brushed his teeth and dressed in his running gear. Running was now a crucial part of his PTSD recovery and released a lot of his anxieties. He opened the bedroom door and was surprised to see all the lights still off and a soft glow coming from the fireplace. Walking into the room more he noticed the unicorn mug on the table and glanced over the back of the sofa. Having moved since they fell asleep, Julia and Ella were laid on the sofa. Ella wrapped tightly in Julia’s arms, both sound asleep. Not wanting to miss this moment he got his phone out of his pocket and crept around the sofa taking a picture of the two of them. Smiling at the photo he looked back at them both and then locked his phone. Picking up the mug he took it into the kitchen and placed it in the sink. Silently putting his trainers on he slipped out of the flat, nodding at the guard on the door as he started out on his run.

A hand was stroking against the side of Julia’s as she fluttered her eyes open. David was bent over her, his face red and shiny with sweat. She smiled at him sleepily as he kissed her cheek and then bent down further and kissed Ella’s. His daughter still flat out asleep. He motioned for Julia to lift her arms and he picked Ella up, carrying her floppy, sleeping body to her and Charlie’s room to her bed. Julia stretched her long limbs out on the sofa where she had been curled up. David was back in the room as she pulled herself up to sit on the sofa “You two looked comfy”. He sat beside her pulling her into a hug as she woke up properly.

“She had stomach ache and just wanted a cuddle”

“You should have woken me” David looked at Julia concerned

“It’s ok. It’s nothing I couldn’t handle” Julia had secretly enjoyed it, but she could hardly tell David she enjoyed the misfortune of his daughter feeling unwell. “In fact, it was lovely to spend some time with her”

“Yeah well she is pretty taken with you”

“Do you think?”

“Of course. I mean you are pretty loveable you know” David nudged Julia’s shoulder with his own as she laughed a little.

“Just as well seen as you want to marry me” Julia held her hand out in front of her admiring the diamond ring on her finger.

“I have never been more sure of anything” David held her hand in his as they both looked at the ring.

“We should celebrate”

“I’m not really up for a party”

Julia looked at David’s wrinkled brow as he shifted uncomfortably. “I wasn’t talking about a party”

David sighed in relief. He didn’t really like being centre of attention and he knew the press would be all over them once news eventually got out. That was attention enough for him. “Thank fuck for that. What did you have in mind?”

Julia cocked her head to one side looking at David’s lips and into his eyes and back again as she moistened her bottom lip, letting David piece together her thoughts.

“Oh, I see” David moved his hand to her neck and guided her to him, kissing her gently and slowly for a few seconds before stopping. “I like that idea and it’s still early”

Julia smiled into his lips kissing him again. David’s sweaty skin against hers made her stop “First, I think you need to shower” She wiped his sweat off her skin jokingly.

David looked down at his sweat soaked running clothes and stood up off the sofa peeling off his t-shirt. His body underneath shining and glistening in the dawn light. He took Julia’s hand in his guiding her to the bathroom. He turned the shower on with Julia’s hand still in his and turned to remove the cardigan from her shoulders. Julia lifted her arms letting him pull her silk camisole over her head before they both bent down and removed their pyjama and running shorts. Both naked they came together, their mouths on one another as David manoeuvred them back into the shower and they stood under the running water, exactly as they had done yesterday.

As David ran his mouth down Julia’s neck, she tilted her head to give him more access “I want to start every day like this”

David responded in between his kisses “I think that’s a great idea” His lips moving along her jawline and bringing her head back down to his. Their hands teasing and caressing one another, whilst their tongues met. David just about to slide himself into Julia when the door handle of the bathroom began to rattle. Julia immediately pushed David away as they heard Charlie shouting outside “Daddy”.

David quickly got out the shower wrapping a towel around his waist, his erection still prominent and pushing against it. “Hang on Charlie” Julia had never been more grateful for locking the bathroom door as she haphazardly wrapped a towel around herself. “Fuck Julia, I can’t go out like this” David whispered, looking down at his hard on, panic in his voice.

“Daddy”

“Two seconds Charlie” Julia took pity on David and smirked at him as she unlocked the door and sidled out of the bathroom. Charlie was stood directly outside the bathroom staring up at her.

“Where’s Daddy?”

Julia tightened the towel around her chest and crossed her arms over her chest to keep it in place as water dripped from her hair. “He is just having a shower”

“But you have been in the shower”

Julia stuttered for a response “Yes, well I have just got out and your Dad has just got in. He was sweaty from his run”

Charlie seemed to buy it and looked up at her innocently. “I was hungry and didn’t know what we were having for breakfast”

“I tell you what go and have a seat at the table, and I will come and make you breakfast. Just let me put some clothes on”

Julia headed to the bedroom where David was now quickly drying off and pulling a fresh pair of boxers on, his bare ass right in Julia’s viewpoint as she walked in. Closing the door behind her she grabbed it playfully when he stood up and brought his body to hers, kissing him lightly “Let’s postpone the celebration until later”

David cleared his throat, still a little flustered at nearly being caught by Charlie. “Yeah maybe when the kids have gone”

“Sounds good to me” Julia dropped her towel letting David look her up and down giving him a taste of what was to come. He stood, rooted to the spot as she walked towards the wardrobe and dug out some dark jeans and a grey jumper. Watching her dress, he realised he was still stood in his boxers when she ran a brush through her wet hair and walked to leave the bedroom pecking his cheek.

The morning flew by as the kids played and David spoke to his Mum and Dad. They were thrilled to hear they would all be visiting, and he was surprised that they seemed eager to meet Julia. When there was a knock at the door, it was time for Vicky to pick Charlie and Ella up. They both gathered the children’s belongings and presents. With a huge hug and kiss from David and Julia they skipped out of the flat after Vicky, waving goodbye.

David shut the door behind him and walked through the flat, helping Julia take all the new toys into the kid’s rooms. “You know David, if we are getting married, we should maybe think about getting a bigger place”

David stopped trying to squeeze a large toy under the bed and looked round at where Julia was sitting on the end of Charlie’s bed with a fluffy dog teddy in her hands. She was stroking its head thoughtfully. “I hadn’t really thought about it” He felt a little awkward, not wanting to admit that he had thought about it but couldn’t possibly afford it. “I’d need to save a bit”.

Julia gave him a slightly withering stare “You don’t have to think about the money David. This flat would cover what we need. We might have to live a bit further out, but it would be better for the kids when they visit, and we’d get a lot more room for our money”

“Your money”

“Our money once we are married” Julia walked over to sit on the bed he was kneeling beside. “I want to do this for us”

David looked at her hands still stroking across the dog’s head and then up at her “the space would be good”

Julia smiled at him, a winning grin on her face “So is that a yes then?”

“Only if you let me at least contribute something. Give it a few months so I can at least get my deposit back on the flat and save for a bit”

“Yes then?”

“Yes. We should think about getting somewhere bigger”

Julia flung her arms around David. Bringing herself down to where he was sitting on the floor and knocking him off balance. They both tumbled to the floor. The green fluffy rug in the centre of the room breaking their fall. Julia laid in the middle of the floor laughing and David immediately checked if she was ok, noticing a red mark on her head where she had hit it off his shoulder. Julia felt fine and had finally stopped laughing when David placed a tender kiss on her bumped head. “That better?”

“No. I think it might need kissing better again” Her eyes as playful as they had been this morning.

He kissed it again. “How’s that?”

“Better” Julia’s lips curled into a mischievous grin “but I hurt here as well” She lifted her finger and rested it on her cheek and smiled as David went to kiss where she had pointed to. “and here” this time Julia pointed to the side of her lip and met his eyes as he placed a soft kiss there “and here”. David pressed his lips to hers, his body on top of her. Julia kissed back and rolled them over. They tussled for dominance pulling themselves on top of one another, rolling on the floor. The passion and intensity of their need for one another building as Julia practically ripped David’s shirt off one button rolling off the rug across the wooden floor. David pulled Julia’s jumper over her head and they quickly unbuttoned one another’s jeans. David peeling Julia’s from her legs, leaving his own around his ankles as she pulled his boxers down. Taking him in her hand and guiding him towards her. He pulled her expensive knickers to one side and plunged into her. A loud breathy moan releasing itself from Julia’s mouth as he moved in her deeper. She moved her hips with his, setting a quick rhythm and pace.

“Helloooooo, Julia. Merry Christmas”

Julia’s eye shot open as David looked at her quizzically.

“Fuck. It’s my mother” For the second time that day David and Julia parted quickly. Julia scrambling on all fours to retrieve her jeans as David pulled his up, fastening his belt. “She’s a bloody day early”. Julia was speaking in hushed tones.

“Are you in?” her voice was growing closer as she walked through the living room and checked Julia’s bedroom.

“Yes Mum. Hello. Give me a minute” Julia threw David’s shirt at him from the floor. Zipping her jeans up she fumbled with her inside out jumper, pulling it the right way around.

“Here you are” Francis Montague stood in the doorway her lips pursed with a slightly amused look on her face

Julia looked in horror as she stood in her bra and jeans with her arms in her jumper. Francis looked over at David buttoning his shirt up swiftly before smiling at her and reaching his hand out to greet her. “Mrs Montague. Lovely to meet you”

Julia stretched her jumper over her head as her Mother took David’s hand with an amused glint in her eyes.

“David. I believe. Julia has told me very little about you, but then she barely speaks to me as it is”

Julia huffed in indignation behind David “Hello Mum. You appear to be a day early and since when did you let yourself in?”

“Happy Christmas to you Julia”

“Sorry. Happy Christmas Mum” Julia stepped past David and bent down to hug her. Francis returned the hug, flashing David a grin and winking at him over Julia’s shoulder. David tried to hide his smile realising full well why Julia and she didn’t get along. They both seemed remarkedly similar.

“I thought it would be nice to come early and get to know David a little better and the kind guard let me in. Sorry if I disrupted your fun” Her eyebrows raised as she looked at them both. “I’m assuming you two will be in here and I will take your room Julia? David you appear to have lost a button” Her eyes glinting with mischief as she watched David’s cheeks grow redder.

Julia stood dumbfounded not quite knowing what to do or say as she watched her Mother walk from the bedroom straight into hers and David’s and place her overnight bag on the bed.

“Would you like a cup of tea Mrs Montague?” David bought Julia some time to consume her rage as he directed Francis to the sofa.

“Please. Call me Francis. A tea would be lovely please David. At least someone here has some manners”

Julia glared at David over the top of her head. Her cheeks reddening with anger, her head shaking as she joined him in the kitchen. “She is unbelievable”

“Julia love. Calm down. It’s just one night”

“That’s a long time to spend with my mother David”

“She seems sweet to me”

“Fucking pointless” Julia muttered under her breath as she clattered a teacup and saucer on the worktop threw a teabag into it.

“Oh Julia. Do you have any biscuits as well please” Her Mum’s voice rang out from the living room.

David stifled his laughter as Julia clenched her teeth and swung the cupboard door open and stormed into the living room slamming them down onto the coffee table. “I’m going to change the bedsheets seen as we weren’t expecting you to stay”

“There is really no need Julia”

“No. It’s fine” Julia disappeared into the bedroom as David placed the cup and saucer into Francis’s outstretched hands with a sympathetic grin on her face.

“I best go see if I can help” David spoke quietly to Francis and motioned his head towards the bedroom.

Francis nodded in amusement “Probably for the best. She does tend to get like this around me”

When David entered the bedroom, Julia was ripping the bedsheet off the mattress, seething with rage. David wrapped his arms around her wrists to stop her. “Hey. Come here” He peeled her fingers from around the sheets and pulled her to face him. “Why are you so angry?”

Julia shook her head to move some hair out of her eyes as she stubbornly tried not to meet David’s eyeline.

“Look. It is one night. We just need to get through twenty-four hours with her. Besides it sounds like its me she is here to see, not you” David joked.

Julia audibly huffed and turned her head to him “Well she seems to like you so far. No cutting remarks yet anyway.”

“Well isn’t that a good thing?”

“I suppose. Doesn’t mean she won’t change her mind”

“Well if she does then we are no worse off”

Julia softened at his comment. He was right after all. She was expecting the worse so if her mother showed any ounce of approving of David it would be something. “I know I’m being ridiculous. She just rubs me up the wrong way”

“Aye, I’ve noticed” David chuckled

Feeling a little embarrassed at her reaction Julia felt her face redden. David kissed her forehead and embraced her before picking up the fresh sheets and helping to make the bed.

“Julia. Is there any heating on? It’s ever so cold”

Julia rolled her eyes at David and flung a pillow onto the bed. She began to repeat to herself quietly “It’s just one night” as she walked out the bedroom. A fake, broad smile now plastered on her face as she entered the living room. “I’ll put the fire on for you”

David finished making the bed relieved to be out of the way of the Montague force and reflected on the fact not only had his son nearly caught him and Julia in the act this morning, but Julia’s mother had practically walked in on them fucking on a bedroom floor, however he couldn’t help but like her on first impressions.


	6. 27th December

27th December

“You seem pretty taken with him”

Julia had both her hands wrapped around her warm mug of coffee, leaning against the kitchen island as Francis stood across from her. “Yep” David had nipped out to get some ingredients to make a meal for them all before Francis left later in the afternoon.

“And his kids?”

“What about them?” Julia snapped, not sure what she was getting at.

“How do you feel about them? How do they feel about you?”

“Well obviously I am fine with it or I wouldn’t still be with him” Julia looked at her mother incredulously.

Francis remained straight faced and spoke calmly “That’s not what I asked. I said how do you feel about them. Not if you were fine with him having them”

“I _feel_ fine about it” Julia tossed the remainder of her coffee in the sink and rinsed it down the drain aware of her mother staring at her “Ok. I like them. In fact I like them far more than I thought I would and I’ve grown to really care for them”

Francis studied Julia as she turned back around and noticed her face softening as she spoke about the children.

“and I think they like me. I hope they do anyway as they mean the world to David”. It was rare for Julia to open up to her Mum. Her and her Dad had always been close and unbeknown to them Francis had always felt left on the side-lines as they poured over books together and Julia had followed him into law. When he passed away their relationship became even more strained as Julia struggled to cope and wouldn’t take comfort from Francis. Their communication was now reduced to a weekly phone call and a few visits a year.

“I get the feeling he means the world to you”

Julia, not wanting to admit it to her mother she shrugged her shoulders “I suppose”

“If that ring on your finger is anything to go by, I believe he must”

Julia looked down at her hand in shock. Completely forgetting about the sparkling diamond on her ring finger. She quickly covered it with her other hand. “It’s not what you think”

“Is it not?” Francis narrowed her gaze at her daughter. They may have a distant relationship, but she still knew when she was lying.

“Not quite. David’s still married”

“Yes darling. I read the newspapers”

“It’s an engagement ring but we aren’t telling anyone until after the divorce has gone through. I wanted to wear the ring in the house. He only proposed two days ago”

Francis approached Julia removing her hand from the ring and admiring it “Well he knows how to pick a nice ring so that’s something”.

The sound of the door going raised Julia’s head and the clattering and rustling of bags interrupted the conversation. “Sorry for taking so long. The shops were busy”

“Not to worry” Francis said, peering into the bags as David placed them on the counter. “Now Julia, you go and sit down. David and I can handle the cooking”

Not needing to be told twice and thankful to get away from her mother she swiftly moved out of the kitchen giving David a sympathetic look as he gave her a wide eyed gaze.

“Come on David. You get peeling the potatoes”

David set to work as Francis bustled around him.

“So, David tell me about yourself”

David knew he wouldn’t get away with brief details started from the beginning. When Julia walked in the kitchen an hour later to pour a glass of wine she found them both deep in conversation, smiling and laughing with one another.

“Julia. Did you know David is a keen walker?”

“Yes I did”

“I’ve told him you should come and stay. Lots of great walking around ours isn’t there?”

“I don’t remember” Julia dismissed the invitation. Visiting the house was too painful. Everything about it reminded her of her Dad. Sipping her wine, she retreated to the living room again.

David noticed Francis looking crest fallen. “Don’t worry. I’ll work on her”

Francis gave him a weak smile “She hasn’t been back since her father died. They were extremely close”

“She has mentioned how close they were. She misses him”

“Indeed. I often wonder if she would miss me as much if it was the other way around”

David considered the seventy year old woman stood in front of her. As elegant as Julia and in her prime undoubtedly as beautiful. Her white hair soft around her face. “I’m sure she would”

“We’ve never been close. She blames me for him dying. I know she does. We were on our way to a function I had been invited to and he had protested about going. Eventually he agreed to come instead of spending the evening with Julia and that’s the last she saw of him. The heart attack killed him instantly. A combination of a bad diet and smoking like a chimney they reckon but she is still too mad to acknowledge that. Easier to blame me”

“I’m sure that’s not true” David wrapped an arm around her shoulder as she shook her head, composing herself again.

“Come on this meal isn’t going to cook itself” and just like that the conversation was over.

David hadn’t noticed that Julia had taken the full bottle of wine until he went to set the dining table and witnessed her pouring the remainder of the bottle into her glass. “Do you not want to save some of that for the meal love”

Julia did not respond verbally but merely glared at him from her position on the sofa. Knowing better than to say anymore David carried on setting the table.

“She knows” Julia’s words slurred across the room

David was confused. “Eh”

“She knows” Julia mouthed the words gesticulated with the empty bottle towards the kitchen. “She knows about the engagement”

David whispered loudly towards Julia and walked across the room at the same time “How?”

Julia held her hand up in the air in a matter of fact fashion “I forgot to take it off”

“and…what did she say?”

Julia contemplated for a few seconds “Not a lot actually”

“Well was she happy, angry?”

Looking more baffled Julia said nothing again for a while “She didn’t say”. She shrugged her shoulders and took a gulp of wine.

David took the wine glass from her, wrestling it out of her hand. “Trust me on this one. You’ve had enough. Come on. Food’s ready”. He pulled her from the sofa placing a delicate, chaste kiss on her lips before leading her over to the table. Pulling a chair out for her she took her seat as Francis placed a steaming plate of vegetables in the centre of the table. David disappeared and then returned with a plate of sliced meat and joined them. He looked at Julia encouragingly and gestured his head towards her Mum.

With another eye roll a teenager would be proud of Julia reluctantly thanked Francis for the meal. “Thanks. This looks great”

“David did most of it. Very handy in the kitchen”

“Aye. You have to be with Julia’s cooking skills”

Francis let out a small laugh at Julia’s expense as Julia opened her mouth to protest then stopped herself as she saw David’s teasing grin. “He’s right. He’s a much better cook than me”

“and Roger” Francis added to the end of Julia’s sentence “In fact David you are better than him in every way”

David looked over to Julia whose mouth was now too full to comment but her eyes were wide with despair

“Have you met him David?”

“Once or twice”

“and…”

Swallowing her mouthful Julia interjected “Mum. Roger has nothing to do with David and I”

“I know he doesn’t but I just wondered what David thinks of him”

“Well you don’t need to answer that David”

David shifted awkwardly not knowing which Montague to keep happy. He tossed a proverbial coin and spoke “I can’t say I took to him”

He ignored Julia’s glare from opposite him and kept his eyes trained on Francis who was now smiling contentedly

“He’s a twit isn’t he?”

David couldn’t hide his snigger as he laughed into his glass of water “Aye he is that”

“Don’t know what she saw in him. Tory toss pot”

“Mum!”

“Well he is isn’t he? At least you went into politics to help people and from what I can see you do. He just wants his name and face in the papers, and he used you to get that. Smarmy git”

Julia was shocked to hear such an honest appraisal from her Mother who had always seemingly supported her marriage to Roger.

“You need look at me like that either Julia. What did you want me to say? Don’t marry him he’s an idiot. You needed to find that out for yourself and now look where it’s got you”

“Where it’s got me?”

Francis pointed with her fork over at David “You two. Together. You wouldn’t have ever met if it wasn’t for him conspiring against you and all that business that went on”

David smiled at Francis. He had been wrong about her and Julia being so similar before. Francis was feistier and more upfront than Julia. He had never witnessed Julia squirm in her seat before. He was torn between pulling her into a hug to rescue her or sitting and enjoying her being rendered speechless.

“Julia. You and David seem extremely happy together and now you’re here David I’d like to say congratulations to you both. Your secret is safe with me” She raised her glass in the air and waited for David and Julia to do the same. “I’m happy for you both”.

Julia was dumbfounded and a little emotional all at once. “Sorry. If you will just excuse me”. She rushed off to the bathroom not wanting anyone to see the tears threatening to fall. She sat herself on the side of the bath dabbing at her eyes and blowing her nose.

“Julia” a soft knock at the door followed.

“I’ll be out in a minute Mum”

“Please darling”

Julia unlocked the door and let Francis open it and let herself in. “I didn’t mean to upset you”

“I know. Its fine. Really”

“I mean it you know. The way you spoke about his children and the way you look at him is all I could dream for you. I know we haven’t got along very well these last few years but that doesn’t mean I can’t be happy for you” Francis picked out another tissue from the box by the sink and handed it to Julia. “Your father would have loved him”

Julia smiled at this “I know”

“Please think about coming to visit. I miss you”

Julia nodded through her tears. “I’ll think about it”

Francis reached out to her daughter, hugging her. “I’m sorry about landing on you yesterday without warning. I should have called”

“It’s ok” Julia dried her tears “I’m sorry you walked in on what you did”

“well I can see why else you like him” Francis raised one eyebrow, the Montague trademark as she grinned suggestively at Julia

“Urgh Mother” With that Julia steered her out of the bathroom back towards the dining table.

“Before I go. I have something for you both” Francis was standing in the hallway with her coat on and her new lavender scarf wrapped around her neck. She handed a red envelope with both David and Julia’s name on to them.

Julia ripped the envelope open and pulled out a key which meant more to her than David. “The ski lodge?”

“Yes. It’s all ready for you. Jean is filling it with supplies as we speak and the flights are booked”

Julia reached back into the envelope pulling out two tickets dated for the day after tomorrow. “I don’t know what to say”

David still not quite following peered over Julia’s shoulder and saw two tickets for somewhere that sounded like France.

“You don’t have to say anything darling. Enjoy it. Relax and celebrate your engagement” Francis placed both her hands either side of Julia’s face and caressed her face lovingly with her thumbs. “I love you”

Julia held her own hand against one of her Mum’s on her face “Thanks Mum. I love you to”

David watched the exchange as the two women hugged and said their goodbyes. Francis then hugged David and kissed him on the cheek “It’s been lovely meeting you David. I hope next time I will get to meet those lovely children of yours”

They waved her off from the flat door as security helped her down the stairs. “So where are we flying and where does that key open?”

“We are off skiing the day after tomorrow and this key opens the Montague family ski lodge in France. Looks like we will be bringing the New Year in in style”

“Jesus. How much money does your family have?”

“I’m not actually sure but we might as well enjoy it. I do have some bad news though”

“What’s that?”

“We are going to have to go shopping tomorrow to get some ski gear”

“Fuuuck” David hadn’t thought of that and he had Charlie and Ella again tomorrow. They were going to Vicky’s Mums over New Year so it would be his last chance to see them.

Seeing the thoughts rolling through David’s mind Julia realised the issue “I can always pick stuff up for you. Spend some time with the kids before you go away and then we can take them out for tea”

“You really are perfect, you know that” David swept her into his arms, breathing in her soft scent and letting her hair tickle his cheek. “Just remember to take your ring off tomorrow”

Julia kissed David’s neck lightly “I will do but for now I want to wear nothing but this ring”.

It didn’t take long for them to pick up from where they left off yesterday when Julia’s mother had so rudely interrupted them.


	7. 28th October

28th December

David stood as Julia buttoned her grey coat up and wrapped a black scarf around her neck. “Are you sure you feel ok?”

“Yeah I’m fine. Just a bit off colour but nothing I can’t handle”

“You look pale”

“David don’t worry. I’m fine. I’m just tired from last night” Julia placed her hand either side of David’s face and kissed him, smirking in relation to them finally finishing what they started yesterday.

“Ok. Have you got your list?”

Julia flapped the piece of paper in the air to indicate she had it. “right here”

Kim knocked on the door and stepped in as David opened it for her. “ready Ma’am”

“Yes, thank you Kim. Bye guys” Julia shouted to Charlie and Ella who were colouring at the dining table. They both waved Julia good bye as she left with Kim, leaving David to close the door behind them.

It had been a couple of hours by the time Julia and Kim were trudging up the stairs to her flat, bags of skiwear in their hands. They burst into the flat dropping them on the floor in the hallway. It had been hectic and a rush, but Julia had managed to get everything they needed for their trip. She thanked Kim and said goodbye to her, stepping over the bags to walk into the flat. The smell hit her first. The spicy smell of gingerbread mixed with the sweet smell of baking. She rounded the corner into the kitchen finding Charlie and Ella sitting on the worktop, their faces covered in flour and rolling out gingerbread dough on her marble counter. David had his arms around Ella helping her to roll out her dough and they all looked up to greet Julia.

“Look Julia. We are making gingerbread men” Charlie grinned at her. His jumper sleeves rolled up to his elbows and an apron far too big for him around his neck.

“I can see. They smell delicious”

David left Ella’s side and pecked a kiss on Julia’s cheek “Hi love. Did you get everything?”

“We did. Kim ended up helping me, but we have everything we need”

“Julia do you want to help us?” Charlie’s voice interrupted them as he looked over at her eagerly.

“I do indeed”

David noticed her attention turn completely to the kids as Charlie spoke and she walked straight over to where he was sitting on the counter, removing her coat and flinging it over the back of a chair. She rolled her sleeves up and stood with Charlie as David resumed his position with Ella. An afternoon of baking was more fun than Julia had expected and with the kitchen still a mess they all sat down to eat their gingerbread men with a film on. Charlie cuddled up to Julia on one side and David on her other with Ella on his knee. It was perfect in David’s mind. The three most important people in his life right where he wanted them.

“Are you crying?” David had an amused look on his face as he saw Julia quickly try to swipe the tear off her cheek.

“No”

Charlie had now lifted his head from where he was resting it on her chest and scrutinising her face. “She is Daddy, look her face is all wet”

“Well, it’s sad” Julia didn’t meet either of their gazes and continued to look at the tv. In all honesty she didn’t know why she was crying at it as it wasn’t that sad but there was something about the presence of David and the kids huddled up with her that had made her sentimental. Christmas afternoons cuddled up to her Dad whilst her mother bustled around them, the scratchy feel of his woollen jumper against her face as she rested against him. She missed him more than ever this time of year. She felt Charlie’s little body move from her side and from the corner of her eye she saw him scamper over to the bathroom. David’s hand stroked the back of her head softly and she turned her head slightly “I’m just being a sentimental old fool”.

Ella’s head was resting on David’s lap and she twisted it round, looking up at them both “Julia, you’re not old”. Julia let out a small laugh, grateful to the little girl for lightening the mood.

Charlie was making his way back from the bathroom and he ran back towards Julia with a single tissue in his hand. “Here you go”. He passed the tissue to Julia and settled himself back down next to her.

“Thanks Charlie” Julia held the tissue, touched by the little boy’s thoughtfulness as she felt tears well up in her eyes again. She wiped at the corner of her eyes.

David pulled her head into his shoulder rolling his eyes at her as she struggled to control her emotions.

David had hugged the kids for a little longer before they left, knowing he wouldn’t be seeing them for a week. He knew they would facetime every day, but it wasn’t the same. Vicky and Julia were in the kid’s room sorting out what needed to be taken back home. They hadn’t quite got themselves into the routine of the kids living between two places. Vicky and Julia had slowly become friends. It was strange at first, both unsure of how to act around one another.

“Dave says you’re off skiing”

“Yeah just for a couple of days. It was a present from my Mum”

“Things are getting serious then? Congratulations by the way”

Julia looked clutched at the front her jumper slightly, feeling the diamond ring pressing against her chest “Thanks and thank you for giving us your blessing”

“Oh I don’t think David has ever looked at me the way he looks at you. You deserve to be together with everything you’ve both gone through. I have some news of my own actually. Since David spoke to me about asking you marry him, I got thinking about me and Andy and well…” Vicky held out her hand to Julia to show her the gold band with a simple diamond on her ring finger.

Julia rushed over to Vicky and hugged her warmly “Congratulations” She noticed the apprehensive look in Vicky’s face as she stood back “You’re happy aren’t you?”

“Oh, I’m thrilled it’s just…I suppose…I’m nervous to tell Dave. I didn’t even discuss it with him, the kids don’t even know yet and I don’t want to just lump it on him before you go away but he needs to know before they do” Vicky twirled the ring on her finger nervously. “With everything that’s been going on with him, and he’s been doing so well. I don’t want to upset him”

“Vicky. I can honestly say he is stronger than ever, and you should tell him. He will be thrilled for you. The kids will be so excited. The divorce will be finalised soon anyway. It’s not like that wasn’t part of the plan. You and Andy have a child together”

“I’m sorry I just didn’t know what to do. I’m so used to treading on eggshells around him”

“You need to tell him. The sooner the better and before Charlie and Ella find out. Your kids are the worst at keeping secrets” Although Julia was beginning to doubt her statement as it appeared, they had not uttered a word about her and David’s engagement.

Vicky laughed “True. You know what I’m going to go and do it now if you don’t mind”

“Go. I’ll finish up in here” Julia turned back to the wardrobe and continued to pack up the freshly laundered clothes into the holdall Vicky had brought around with her.

Julia and David waved the kids off and transported all the shopping bags from earlier into the bedroom. “I’m really happy for her” David had been genuinely happy for Vicky and was glad that they were both moving on at the same time as one another. “She deserves to be happy”

Julia could see him thinking deeply as he pulled out the black ski jacket, she had bought herself, and laid it out on their bed. “So do you David”

“I know. It’s just I wasn’t the best husband. I was never there and when I was, I wasn’t really there if you know what I mean?” He carried on unpacking the ski socks and gloves from the bag and ripped the tags off, placing them in a pile on the bedside table.

Julia walked around the bed taking the pair of ski gloves out his hands and dropping them onto the bed. She held his hands in hers “You can’t keep beating yourself up about it David. You weren’t well and Vicky is happy like you say”

David gripped Julia’s hands “I just sometimes feel guilty for feeling happier with you than I ever did with her” He didn’t dare look at Julia, feeling too ashamed at admitting one of his darkest feelings. He felt her hands release his and he looked up at her in dismay.

As their eyes met her hands were on the side of his face pulling his face to hers, placing a tender kiss on his lips before pulling back. “I understand. I love you so much and we both now have a second chance at a happier marriage. We can feel guilty about that together”

One of the things David admired about Julia in these situations was her straight talking. He smiled at her comment realising that she was right and kissed her again “I love you to and I can’t wait to be married to you”

“Ha. You might regret saying that”

“I doubt it”

Julia pushed David away from her “Come on, if we don’t pack this stuff up, we won’t be going skiing in the morning”

The suitcases were closed and ready in the hallway by the time David was sat up in bed waiting for Julia. He was texting when she re-entered the bedroom, switching the lights off, plunging the room into darkness apart from the light glowing from David’s phone that he was holding. He flicked his bedside light on in time to see her dressing gown drop from her shoulders. Her naked skin smooth and slightly pink from her bath and her hair roughly blow dried. David admired her slim and curvaceous body as she stood with her back to him, completely naked, reaching into her wardrobe for a white nightshirt.

Julia swung the nightshirt around her shoulders and pushed her arms through the sleeves. As her hands found the buttons, she suddenly felt David’s around hers and his mouth at her ear “leave it open”. His lips teased at her ear before sucking at her neck sending a shiver of pleasure down her spine. She dropped her hands from the night shirt and let him pull it back from her breasts, his hands on them, massaging them as she felt him growing harder against her back.

David felt the heat of her body beneath his palms and groaned slightly as she moved her body against his. Wanting to see the pleasure in her face he spun her round and their lips met rapidly, their impatient desire for one another clear. David backed her up towards her dressing table, letting her rest against it as he continued to explore her mouth and move his hands down her body. Julia reached out to him, sliding his pyjamas down so he could step out of them. Their lips never losing contact. Her hands were in his hair at the back of his neck, running down across his shoulders. She moved her lips away, gasping for air as David moved his kissing down the centre of her neck and chest, between her breasts and down her stomach and back up again. She opened her legs wider instinctively as she steadied herself against the dressing table. Her breathing growing more rapid as he kissed along her collarbone, up along her jawbone and back to her lips. The sensation causing Julia’s breath to hitch and her stomach tense as she let the feeling overwhelm her. David ran his fingers along her folds, applying pressure to her clit. Julia felt the heat rise up her body. Her hands the only thing from stopping her collapsing to the floor as her legs turned to jelly. David kissed her softly as her soft moans sang out.

Julia pulled him closer to her, her lips still on his. “You’re unbelievable Julia” He felt her hands run down his body to his now rock hard length and tried to suppress his loud groan as she ran her hands up and down him her eyes on his, her teeth biting at her bottom lip. His need for her was too much and he reached his hands under her bottom, lifting her from the dressing table, her legs wrapping around him and their lips meeting again. Within seconds her back was up against the wardrobe where this had all started as David let her down, keeping one leg hooked around her waist. She found his dick again and guided him into her. David slipped into her and began to thrust slowly and deeply. Their hands intertwining with one another above Julia’s head. He buried his face into her neck as he increased the speed, the pressure of his imminent release building. Julia’s words of encouragement urging him on until he spilled inside her.

Neither of them moved until Julia could feel David’s release running down her inner thigh as he pulled out or her. “where did that come from?” She had been surprised by David’s impulsive urges before and they never failed to please her.

“You just look so sexy naked” he kissed her lazily against the wardrobe door

“It’s a shame we are going somewhere so cold or I would walk around naked the whole time if that’s what happens”

“I’m sure we can find other ways of keeping warm”

Julia pushed herself from the wardrobe, pushing David with her. “I think this could be a good break for us”. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him slowly and softly, letting her lips glide over his. “We should get some sleep so we can make the most of it”

Both were dressed in their nightwear again, Julia’s night shirt buttoned up this time. They were laid in bed, David spooning Julia, listening to her soft, deep breathing as she slept in his arms. With every breath his love growing a little more for her.


	8. 29th January

29th December

One perk of travelling with a Montague meant the first-class travel and the first-class lounge at the airport. Julia watched David sink another glass of champagne, his second since their arrival. His foot was tapping anxiously against the grey, rough carpet and he was staring out of the large glass windows at the planes taxiing onto the runway. Julia sipped her own champagne slowly observing him from. “You alright?”

David looked at her, his hand reaching up to ruffle at his hair. “Yep”

“Are you sure? You seem distracted”

“Is now a bad time to tell you I hate flying” He downed what was left of his champagne and placed the empty glass on the table between them.

“You’re scared of flying?” Julia sounded surprised and couldn’t help laughing a little at his admission. “You have fought in wars and been shot at. How can you be scared of flying?”

“I wish I knew. You’d think the amount of flying around I did in the army I’d be used to it but the thought of it is worse than anything else. The sitting around. I mean look…” He gestured towards the window “…how does something that big stay up in the air?”

Julia could see he wasn’t joking, his stress clear as he gestured with his hands, his eyes staring wildly at her. “Science I suppose” She wasn’t sure what or if she could say anything that would comfort him. A waiter from the lounge came and cleared up David’s empty glass and added it to his tray as David reached for another complimentary glass. “Is drinking the best thing if you’re worried?” David looked at her and she knew not to argue. Instead she put her own glass down and checked the time. They were boarding in twenty minutes. He couldn’t get that drunk in that time frame.

David slurred a greeting to the air hostess as they boarded the plane. Julia smiled awkwardly at the hostess as she directed them to their seats. Thankfully they were seated in a row of two seats near the front of the plane so nobody else would have to endure David’s drunk ramblings that had started about ten minutes ago.

“I can’t sit near the window” David was now pale, a sheen of sweat forming on his head. Julia wordlessly took her seat near the window and adjusted the seatbelt around her waist as David slumped into the seat next to her, his head down.

“David if you want to get off this plane we can. Just say the words”

“No. I’ll be fine once we get going”

Julia pulled a book from her bag, keeping her head down as the remaining passengers boarded the plane. She was used to being recognised and planes tended to mean she was trapped with a captive audience. The less passengers who had chance to recognise her the better, especially with her drunk ex bodyguard in the seat next to her.

David’s hand had gripped her thigh so hard as the plane took off, she was convinced there would be a bruise there tomorrow. She covered his hand with her own and rubbed the back of it as she rested her other on his shoulder. His own head in his other hand, resting on his knee. David was counting his breaths in and out and was grateful for the comfort of Julia’s touch. He probably should have shared with her before now that flying was one of his main fears after anything happening to his children and her. He could still remember the acrid smell of burning when a helicopter had come down on a mission. Killing the pilot and soldiers in it almost instantly. Their bodies burning in the white-hot flames. He could feel the dryness building up in his throat as the smoke choked him. Julia eyed him with concern as he cleared his throat, the take off nearly over. It wasn’t until the seatbelt signs clicked off and the noise of the plane taking off died down that he turned his head to look at her. His face pale and his eyes wide. “Please tell me that bits over?”

“It’s over. I’m so sorry. If I’d known, we wouldn’t have come”

“No. I want to get over it” He released his grip on her leg slightly and she took the opportunity to link her hand with his and hold his in hers. “I’ve not been on a plane since the day I was posted back to England”

Julia had heard some of his stories from that time. She never asked, but instead waited for him to bring them up, for him to divulge as much or as little as he wanted to. This time was the same. She smiled sympathetically at him and he straightened up in his seat.

“That champagne was a bad idea” David felt calmer now and he could feel the fizzy champagne bubbling in his stomach.

Julia laughed “You were knocking it back”

“Aye, think I’ll stick to water”

“Probably for the best”

“Sorry. This probably wasn’t how you were expecting to start the next few days off”

“Don’t be stupid. I’m just glad you have calmed down”

The landing was slightly less stressful with the lack of alcohol running through his veins. He still clung to Julia’s hand as the plane hit the runway. His blood pressure soaring as he held his breath in anticipation of the plane hitting the tarmac. A wave of relief flooding through his body as they landed safely. Another wave of relief running through Julia once he released his bone crushing grip on her hand. The cold air that hit them as they left the airport was brisk but refreshing. David breathed it in, enjoying it clearing his mind of the last two hours cooped up in his idea of fresh hell despite having Julia next to him the whole time. It must have been the stress of the flight and the mixture of the alcohol that had him asleep in the back of the car, his head on Julia’s shoulder as they ascended into the snowy mountains.

Julia shook him awake slowly. David opened his eyes to the white light around them, the slightly grey and icy environment of the airport now replaced by a mass of white powdery snow and trees. The driver was outside, working with a man in a red jacket to transport their bags into the chalet. “I can’t believe I fell asleep”

Julia was gathering her hand bag from the footwell as David rubbed at his face “You needed it after that flight. Come on. Let me show you the Montague ski chalet” She rolled her eyes at how grand it sounded and opened the car door.

David took in the wooden chalet in front of them that stood alone with only a few others in the near vicinity. “Bonjour Jean” He heard Julia greet the man in the red jacket from earlier with a kiss on each cheek. He responded to her and David shook the man’s hand as Julia introduced him. His English spoken with a thick French accent. Julia and he began conversing in French, David now completely clueless as to what was being said. He loved hearing her speaking in different languages, her voice still poised and smooth as silk but her accent and the noises different to normal. She knew he found it sexy and she caught him watching her out the corner of her eye. Eager to end the conversation as quickly as it was polite to she waved Jean off with a smile and walked with David towards the front door.

A long whistle escaped David’s lips as they walked into the chalet. They walked straight into a large room that opened up into a cosy sitting room. Large windows looked out over snowy mountains ahead of them and to the right of the room was a large wall with an open fireplace. The fire was already lit, warming the room. The furnishing was traditional and large fur rugs and blankets covered the floor and chairs. The left of the room was a large open plan kitchen and dining area with a large wooden dining table set in front of the windows.

Julia took their coats and walked into a small room next to the door they had just walked in. “This is where we store the skis and boots. Jean has got you some boots and is going to come tomorrow to sort you some skis”

David felt like he was in another world. He didn’t have a cloakroom growing up, never mind a room for skis and ski boots. “This place is unbelievable”

“You’ve not seen the best bit yet”

Julia led David over to the large windows. He could now make out the outside area was decked out and levelled off beneath the window ledges. The area was sheltered by a canopy coming out of the side of the chalet and he followed to where Julia’s finger was pointing. “After years of convincing her my Mother finally got a hot tub installed” The hot tub was sheltered beneath its own roof and three wooden steps ran up the side of it for access. “We can go in it later if you want” She looked over at David who was now staring around in awe.

“Sounds great” He was distracted by the view at this point. Growing up in Scotland had given him access to some beautiful views but nothing quite like this one. The expanse of white in front of him made him feel like he was in the middle of nowhere, completely isolated from the world.

The view no different at night. The sky midnight blue with the outline of the blue, snow capped mountains lit by the bright moon. He laid back in the hot water of the hot tub, the bubbles massaging his skin as he looked up to the sky. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen a clear sky at night in London. The polluted air hiding the starlit sky most nights. Here the stars twinkled like fairy lights in the night sky and he searched for the constellations he used to look for in Scotland as a youngster with his Mum and Dad.

“Star gazing?” He heard Julia before he saw her. She was carrying two glasses of wine with her and wrapped in a white, fluffy bathrobe. She handed David the wine glasses and he placed them on the ledge around the edge of the hot tub. “I used to sit out here with my Dad. Orion’s belt” Her hand pointed into the sky where David had been staring previously. “We would sit out here for hours, all wrapped up, watching the stars. There is a telescope somewhere”

“I used to do the same. A part from I was usually freezing my tits off outside a tent in Scotland on a camping trip”

“I know its cliché but it’s weird knowing that wherever we were in the world we were both staring up at the same stars”

“Aye, I suppose. I’ll take you star gazing when we visit Scotland. I’ve not taken Charlie and Ella before. I think they will enjoy it”

“Yes, lets” Julia flashed him a wide smile. She absent-mindedly undid her bathrobe, the cold air getting to her now and quickly shrugged it from her shoulders and dropped it to the floor so she could rush up the steps into the steaming water. “Maybe we could bring them here one day. I loved it here as a kid”. She lowered herself into the hot water, her goose bumps disappearing instantly as she let it warm her body. “What?”

David had stopped listening to her as soon as he had glimpsed her navy bikini trimmed with gold details. He had never seen her in swimwear before and was unaware she even owned any. “Nice bikini” he raised his eyebrows in approval as Julia lowered herself into the water in front of him.

“Yes, well the same can’t be said for your swimwear” Julia raised one eyebrow and gestured under the water.

“Well somebody didn’t tell me I would need to pack any”

Julia laughed “I’d like to say it was on purpose, but I honestly forgot”

David playfully grabbed her wrists pulling her onto his knee, tickling her waist as her deep giggle warmed the frosty air “Forgot? I don’t think that’s true do you?”

Julia wriggled on his knee, feeling his bare thighs under her. She finally managed to hold his arms by his side under the water “Are you calling me a liar?” Her face level with his, her eyes challenging him as her lips ghosted his with a playful smile.

David felt her warm breath against his lips, her smooth legs rubbing against his own whilst the water bubbled around them. His own playful smile turning into a look of lust as she slipped one hand from his arm and ran it between his legs. His lack of swimwear making it very easy for her to locate his hardening length. Her eyes still trained on his, their lips barely touching as she played with him. Julia shifted on his knee, twisting herself towards him more as David put his hands both sides of her face, and closed the last millimetre between their lips. They kissed slowly, their lips caressing one another’s with an intense love that neither had felt before. Julia stroked her hand up and down David, feeling him becoming harder as their tongues softly met. Their slow pace never changing as they lapped each other up. Julia’s touch on David was his kryptonite and he struggled to control himself in her hands. He softly moved his hands down her back and sides, reaching her waist. He slowly manoeuvred her around on his knee, their lips losing contact as he turned her away from him, his lips tracing kisses along her, jawline, neck and finally her back as she looked out towards the stars. Julia’s hands now reached behind her, finding David’s head as he kissed behind her ear and ran his hands down her chest, stopping on her breasts and massaging them as she gyrated against his crotch. A small moan escaping her lips as David bit at her shoulder as his hands slipped under the fabric of her top. Turning her head, she waited for David’s lips to reach hers, her hand running through his curls and the other joining his as it massaged her breast. The slow pace only intensifying her need for him. When he finally reached for the clasp of her top she quickly pulled it off, not wanting to lose a seconds contact with him. She could feel his muscly chest against her back and his strong legs beneath her holding her on his lap. The hands she had let touch every part of her now wandering down her body and hooking round the side of her bikini bottoms. Julia turned to him as she stood up, letting him remove them and placed them on the side next to their untouched wine. David took a mental picture of the moment when he lifted his head to look at his wife to be, framed by the twinkling, navy blue sky, her face flushed and her lips full. Reaching out towards her he took her hand and placed a delicate kiss over the sparkling diamond on her ring finger. “I don’t ever want to forget this moment”

“Me neither” Julia edged closer to him again and relished the touch of his hands wrapping around her waist and pulling her towards him, the water swooshing between them as she resumed her previous position. Julia lifted her legs up this time and straddled his legs, letting the water and the ledge David was sitting on hold her in place. David’s hands had moved down her front again, one wrapped around her waist and the other between her legs, slowly circling and rubbing at her clit. She held his hand there, directing him to the spot that made butterflies explode in her stomach and her thighs throb in anticipation. David’s breath was warm on her neck as he concentrated on pleasuring her. Feeling her orgasm rising Julia stilled David’s hand and reached for him. Her weightless body rose in the water until David guided her down onto him. Julia’s hand reached back again to David’s neck to hold herself in position as he moved her up and down on him. Julia rocked her hips against him as she sank onto him and her other hand interlocked with on of his on her waist. David kissed Julia’s lips when she turned to him, moaning and breathless. He thrust into her until he could hear her moans growing louder and quicker and then eventually felt her tighten around him. Her body quivering against his and still until the waves of her orgasm sadly dispersed. Standing from his lap Julia turned herself around to face him, her hair now damp and swept back from her face. Holding his hands she pulled him to his feet, both standing waist height exposed to the freezing air but consumed by the clouds of steam rising from the warm water. She turned again, resting her hands against the side of the hot tub, her behind breaking the surface of the water slightly. David quickly caught on and immediately pushed into her again. This time not as slowly and with a more rapid and rampant need to be inside her. The water splashed over the side in waves as he moved into her, eventually coming inside of her, leaning his body to her back, both collapsing into the water. Their giggling and kissing heard by nobody but them.

“Is this why you convinced your Mother to get a hot tub” David and Julia were now sitting alongside one another, his arm draped around her shoulder.

Julia interlinked her fingers with the hand he had draped over her shoulder and turned to look at him with a coy grin on her face “It has always been a fantasy of mine”

“Oh aye, and what other fantasies do you have?”

Julia took a sip of wine and contemplated for a while. More to keep David waiting. “I do have one I am hoping you could help me with”

David raised his eyebrows at her as he took a sip of wine himself. “And what might that be?”

“I want a hot bodyguard, in front of an open fire, on a fur rug and I want him all night until we fall asleep there in each other’s arms wrapped under a blanket” Julia was thankful of the wine running through her or she would likely have blushed at such a blatant suggestion despite how comfortable she was with David.

David didn’t speak as he let a smile creep onto his lips and took Julia’s glass from her hand, placing it on the side with her discarded bikini. He took both of her hands and pulled her to her feet. Julia watched as he climbed out of the hot tub and beckoned her to follow him down the steps. The cold hit her body quickly and David noticed her shiver. Wrapping her in his arms he lifted her from the steps and she instinctively wrapped her legs around him. “Let’s get you warm in front of the fire Ma’am”. David carried her into the warmth of the chalet, towards the open fire and stood her on the velvety soft, fur rug before pressing his lips to her.


	9. 30th December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearly there. Thanks for those who have stuck with it. I'd written all the chapters a few weeks ago so I've been having to remind myself what I actually wrote as I have been uploading each day.

30th December

It was fair to say David was far more skilled at the Après Ski than the actual Skiing as he and Julia stood huddled in a busy bar. His body ached already from his lesson this morning and trying to keep up with a very patient Julia. His lack of skill his main problem alongside not being able to take his eyes off her arse in her tight ski pants. Jean had dropped them off in the main bustling village with the promise of picking them up in a few hours. Julia’s body was being pressed to David’s thanks to a large crowd behind her and the same on David’s side. Their proximity to one another serving as a distraction as always but also meaning they didn’t have to shout over the loud noise of the bar.

“We can go somewhere else if you like?” David noticed Julia’s annoyance at being bashed into.

“It’s fine, honestly. I’m just a bit hot”

“Come on let’s get some air” David grasped her hand and began to push through the busy bar out into the cool air, filled with falling snowflakes.

Julia left her jacket off whilst she let the cool air cool her burning head and chest, thankful for her V-neck jumper exposing her now flushed neck. “That’s better. I thought I was going to either be sick of pass out”

“You don’t look too good love”

“I’m fine. Just a funny turn, the heat and the crowds, it reminds me of St Matthews. I’m fine then it gets to me when I least expect it. Do you mind if we go somewhere a little quieter?”

David was surprised she had mentioned St. Matthews. They had both taken time to recover from the bombing and he knew she felt guilty for surviving it unharmed when others lost their lives. They both sought help after the event and helped one another through the sleepless nights and anxiety that had come in the aftermath. David pulled her into a tight hug and pressed a kiss to the side of her head as she sighed into him, her hands clutching the front of his coat. “We can go back if you want?”

“No. I’m not letting it ruin our night. I know somewhere else we can go” Her voice muffled against his coat but defiant and determined.

“Ok. Let’s go” David held her coat out for her and stood as she zipped it up, her body now shivering against the cold.

Julia led them to a smaller, more intimate restaurant, bar in the village with large glass candlelit windows. A far more romantic and classy setting than the more traditional looking ski bar they had found themselves in before. As they opened the door, they were greeted by a friendly French waiter who guided them to the bar and took their drinks order.

Once Julia had a glass of large red wine in front of her she felt a lot better, letting the full flavour fill her mouth and the alcohol seep into her body. Opening her mouth to speak to David she was rudely interrupted by a voice she unfortunately recognised.

“Juliaaaaa. No. It can’t be. I can’t believe it. Rob. Rob looks its Julia”

Julia turned on her stool towards the voice, bracing herself for its owner. “Kate! Of all the places to bump into you” She nearly fell off her stool as the woman lunged towards her and wrapped her arms around her tightly. Julia smiled politely at the shorter man stood behind her and eventually got up to greet him.

“I was just saying to Rob that I used to come here with you when we were younger. What brings you here? You are always so busy. I only spoke to your Aunt Francis last week and she said you were too busy to even visit her again this year”

Julia ignored her cousin’s dig and instead ran her hands through her hair before stepping to the side and holding her hand out to David. “Well Mum actually surprised David and I with the trip for Christmas. Kate and Rob this is David. David this is Kate my cousin and her husband Rob” Julia motioned her hands between David and the couple as she formally introduced them and watched in amusement and satisfaction as she saw both Kate’s and Rob’s jaw practically drop at the sight of him.

“David. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Your pictures in the newspaper really don’t do you justice.” Kate had him in a vice like hug as David looked to Julia, his eyes wide with surprise and near suffocation. As Kate released him, he brushed his jumper back down before Rob unexpectedly hugged him. His arms around his neck as David stood motionless and then confused as he heard and felt Rob take a long sniff of his neck before releasing him.

Julia mouthed “Sorry” to David as Rob clung to him.

“Please join us. We have so much to catch up on” Kate grabbed Julia’s hand and motioned to the waiter to indicate they needed two more seats.

A slightly bewildered David picked up his and Julia’s wine glasses and followed them through the restaurant with Rob following close by, eyeing up David.

“You didn’t tell me he was so bloody handsome Julia” Kate whispered in her ear as they waited for the extra places at the table.

“Well we have hardly spoken for a few years Kate. How is Rob?”

“Still gay”

“You’re still married?”

“Not for much longer. We are still close though. More like best friends, hence why we found ourselves here. I still can’t believe we bumped into you. Francis never said a word when I told her about Rob and I coming over. To be honest I was a bit miffed she didn’t offer us the chalet but now I know why”

Julia laughed politely and eagerly stretched her hand out to David’s and grabbed her wine, taking a large gulp and setting it down on the table. “If you would just excuse David and I. We should go and put our coats somewhere”. Julia grabbed David’s wine this time and plonked it on the table before practically man handling him away from the table.

“What the fuck” David whispered under his breath as Julia shuffled him along, her hand on his elbow.

Julia whispered hurriedly “I need to give you the lowdown. Kate is my cousin on my Mum’s side. Thinks she and her family are entitled to all my Dad’s money when he left everything to me and my Mum. She has been married to Rob for five years. Two years into the marriage he came out as gay, but they still live together and both date other people”

David looked back to Julia and raised his eyebrows, with a small grin on his face which only seemed to make Julia push his more quickly and whisper more frantically as she grabbed his coat and roughly hooked it onto the coat stand near the front door of the restaurant.

“Kate doesn’t work, demands Rob funds her lifestyle due to the stress he has caused her. He does it because he feels guilty and David…” This time Julia looked him square in the eyes “…one or both will try and come onto you. They are a nightmare and all I can do is apologise now because the only way I can get through this meal is to drink”

A bewildered David nodded along with everything Julia was saying, her intense frantic gaze both amusing and worrying him before she was pushing him back towards the table.

“All sorted? David you come and sit here next to me” Kate patted the seat to right of her, in between her and Rob whilst Julia took a seat opposite him. “I want to hear all about your police work. It sounds so exciting”

“Oh yes David. Do tell us. Is it dangerous? Do you wear one of those bulletproof vests?” Rob had leant his elbows on the table now, angling his body towards David.

Julia watched in part amusement and annoyance as her relatives turned away from her and turned their attention to David. Ignoring the fact that the wine was far too good and far too expensive to drink in copious amounts she downed the glass and beckoned over the passing waiter. “Large vodka and tonic please”

David was amazed Rob or Kate had managed to eat a thing between their inane and incessant questioning.

“Francis actually liked you?” Kate looked between him and Julia, her mouth gaping in shock until Julia simply nodded her head. “Wow. I’m not sure she even likes me sometimes”

At this Julia stuffed a forkful of food into her mouth to muffle her snort of laughter.

“So, David tell me, do you go out much in London? I am there for work twice a week. Where do you tend to hang out?”

“I err…” David shifted uncomfortably in his seat and glanced across at Julia, his eyes pleading for her to rescue him but instead she sat back in her chair, a look of amusement on her face as she swallowed yet another mouthful of vodka and tonic. “I err don’t go out much. We prefer to stay in don’t we Julia?”

“Oh, we will have to come around and see you both when we are home won’t we Rob?”

“Yeah that sounds…” David stopped short as he saw Julia subtly shaking her head in his direction.

Julia quickly interrupted David at this point and “We are very busy Kate. We have David’s children some nights and then the nights we don’t have them we like to spend time together. We don’t get to see much of one another day to day. I’m sure you understand”

“Of course. New couple in the throws of a new relationship. You need your time together” Julia flinched as Kate gave her a very obvious wink and a nod

Thankful for the waiter clearing the plates, Julia excused herself from the table and made her way to the bathroom. The room spinning slightly as she got up from her chair. She ran her hand over David’s shoulder as she walked past him.

“Hang on Julia. I will come with you”

If it wasn’t for the noise of the restaurant, she was pretty sure Kate would have heard her audible groan.

Julia ran her hands through her hair once in the bathroom and ruffled at the roots to add some volume whilst Kate applied lip gloss in the mirror. “Do you think it is serious between you and David?”

Trying to avoid a deep and meaningful conversation Julia merely nodded her head “I think so”

“Think?”

“Well you know what I mean. I hope so”

“He’s very different to Roger. I hear he is still single. Always thought he was rather dashing”

“Yeah a dashing bastard”

“Oh Julia. Some people just aren’t compatible”

Julia huffed and then laughed “You’re a fine one to talk” Kate looked hurt and despite the alcohol running through her Julia knew she had been harsh. “Sorry. That was mean”

Kate started to laugh then “You’re right. Roger might be a dashing bastard but at least he fancies women”

“God help women”

“I need a David in my life”

“Yes, but maybe not my David”

“Your David!”

“Yes, my David” Julia smiled contently at calling him that. The smile making her cheeks and face glow in the dim light of the bathroom.

“Wow”

“What?”

“You really are serious about him. I’ve never seen you look like that when speaking about anyone before. Not even when you said Daniel was ‘the one’ at sixth form”

“Yes, well I was 17 and thought I would marry Daniel and have 5 kids whilst her went off to work and looked after them and the dogs”

“Then he cheated on you and you became this scary feminist who I didn’t dare speak to”

Julia crossed her arms in front of her a little taken aback and rocking slightly as the last vodka and tonic landed “I’m not scary”

“Yes, you are Julia. You are terrifying”

Lost for words Julia went to defend herself but realised she had nothing to say. The alcohol had dulled her sharp wit and she swayed on the spot with no retort. “Sorry”

“Sorry? You don’t need to be sorry, it’s got you where you are today, and David doesn’t seem to think you’re scary. I stopped trying to flirt with him the moment I saw him looking at you”

“You were trying to flirt with him?”

“Julia. I am married to a gay man. I flirt with anyone who looks straight and has a penis”

At this Julia laughed out loud. “I’ll forgive you then”

“No doubt Rob will be trying his best though”

“Shit. We should go rescue David”

“Your David?”

“Yes. My David” Julia scowled playfully at her cousin as she led them out of the bathroom.

David couldn’t be sure at what point in the conversations Rob’s hand had moved to his leg but he had been toying with the idea of how to move it for a few minutes now, willing Julia to return from the toilets. Rob was slurring his words from too much alcohol as he spoke, his face leaning into David’s “The thing is, I didn’t even know I was gay until I started at the new office and I met Ben. I’m telling you, you need to explore your sexuality before settling down. Don’t make the same mistake I did”

“I’ll bear that in mind, thanks” David was looking towards the toilet door, willing it to open. “Maybe you’d like a glass of water?”

“No, no. Julia is a very lucky woman to have you. I thought she was lucky with Roger but terrible upset all that. Much better off with you” He gripped David’s leg tightly.

“Rob, stop flirting with David” Kate’s voice was stern across the table as Her and Julia re-joined the table, much to David’s relief.

“I was not flirting with him” Rob mumbled sheepishly before taking a glass of water from David.

Julia’s eyes met with David’s across the table and he saw warmth in them for the first time since they had sat down with her cousin and Rob. He smiled back at her and his stomach leapt as she scrunched her nose a little at him in a loving gesture. Neither had seen Kate and Rob witness their silent exchange.

“You two should enjoy the rest of your evening” Kate rested her hand on Julia’s “We have interrupted the little time you have alone together enough. Come on Rob. We need to get going. We have Stefan early in the morning” Kate beckoned for Rob to get up as she pushed her chair out from behind her.

“I love Stefan. Such a good teacher. You should try him David” Rob had become animated again talking about the ski instructor and Kate rolled her eyes at Julia and David.

“Rob” her warning tone was enough to get Rob moving. Kissing David goodbye “I do hope we meet you again soon David”

“Aye, you to”

“So lovely to see you Julia. We won’t leave it so long next time”

“Bye Kate. It’s been lovely” although still said through slightly gritted teeth.

“Please tell Aunt Francis that I am back over here in February so if she needs anyone to check in on the chalet I can”

“Don’t worry Jean does that”

“Ah right. I thought as much”

“I’ll ask her if it’s free for you”

Kate hugged Julia tighter again “Thanks Julia. You’re the best”

Julia and David sat across from one another in the now much quieter restaurant both dumbfounded at their evening, both now nursing another drink. “Your family are weird”

“Yes, thank you David. I’ve had to grow up with them”

“I can see why you needed a drink”

“It comes with the territory I’m afraid. If you’re related to a Montague alcohol is the only thing that is going to get you through a family occasion”

“I’ll remember that”

Julia leant forward in her chair, the back of her hand covering her mouth slightly as she hiccupped loudly.

David’s face broke out into a broad grin as he watched her chest expand violently with each hiccup “You’re drunk”

Julia held her breath trying to stop her hiccups “A bit tipsy, not drunk”

David wasn’t entirely convinced as her head lolled to the side slightly. “I’ll get the bill. Jean should be here to take us home soon”

David held a still hiccupping Julia’s hand as she walked beside him to where Jean had dropped them off earlier. Her body occasionally bumping into his as she part staggered part walked. “Try holding your breath to get rid of them” He heard Julia take a big breath in and he looked to see her cheeks puffed out and her eyes wide and burst out laughing causing Julia to join him with a loud belly laugh. They clung to one another as they laughed and made their way along the street to wait for Jean.

Julia hiccupped all the way home as David held his arm around her, keeping her warm, her eyes heavy as she rested her head against his shoulder.

“Thanks Jean” Julia managed to slur between hiccupping as they climbed out the car. She stood waving him off when she felt a thud against her head. Her face sprayed with snow. As she turned to find where it had come from a snowball sailed towards her and hit her on her shoulder. “David” her voice shrieked across the driveway. Bending down she scooped her own ball of snow and launched it in his direction which he ducked from.

David ran across the driveway launching snowballs at Julia and dodging her poor efforts, their laughter filling the air as they chased one another. Julia finally landing a snowball square in David’s face causing him to stop on the spot and wipe the snow from his eyes. In that time Julia had reached him, her hands full of snow and rubbing it in his hair before he whipped round and gather some snow off the ground and doing the same to her. Them both falling into the deep snow, ignoring the cold. “You bastard” Julia shrieked as she wrestled with him on the ground until David held her on top of him, his back nestled in the snow.

“Your hiccups have gone though” he grinned up at her cheekily as she tucked some hair behind her ears and pulled her fluffy hood over her damp hair to keep out the cold.

Julia smiled down at him, the moonlight from the sky making the snow glow blue around them. “I love you” She kissed him softly as they laid in the snow and let David’s arms wrap around her.


	10. 31st December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple of you had already foreseen this coming!!  
> Thank you so much for those who left kind comments after yesterday's upload. I enjoyed writing the last chapter the most I think.

31st December

The sound of Julia retching into the toilet had been the soundtrack to David’s morning. Her hangover kicking in in the early hours, causing her to propel herself out of bed and run to the bathroom.

“I didn’t even drink that much”

“Love you sank a whole load of vodka and tonic as well as the best part of a bottle of wine when we got in last night”

Julia twisted her head from the toilet bowl to where he was sitting on the edge of the bath offering her a glass of water. “Hmph yeah I suppose. You should still go to your ski lesson”

David looked at Julia’s pale face, her elbows resting against the toilet bowl and her hair swept back by a rubber elastic band he had managed to find for her. He knew there wasn’t much he could do for her, but he also didn’t want to leave her in this state. “I’d rather make sure you were ok”

“David. I am either going to be in bed sleeping this hangover off or in here with my head stuck down the loo. Go and enjoy yourself”

“Well if I go for my lesson I can be back in time for lunch and we can see how you feel. You might feel up to going out by then”

Julia doubted that very much in her current state, but she nodded anyway giving him a weak smile before her stomach lurched again and she had to turn back to the toilet. David’s hand rubbed her back soothingly as she dry heaved. “I’m so sorry” her voice echoing off the porcelain.

David chuckled a little “It’s alright. You just need to rest” He kissed her head softly as he stood up “I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Drink plenty and try to eat something if you can”

“Don’t talk about food David” Julia held her hand over her mouth as she watched him leave the bathroom, laughing at the state of her. She curled up in a ball on the bathroom floor, letting the cool tiled floor soothe her pounding head.

Julia slept soundly, waking up feeling much fresher but still a little queasy. She sat up in bed, rubbing her hands over her face and untangling the rubber band from her hair. Her hands suddenly dropping to the duvet cover and springing out of bed to get her phone. She rustled around in her handbag until she found it and double checked her calendar. Her hands shaking slightly, she scrolled through her contacts and rang Jean.

“Bonjour Jean. Would you be able to take me to the pharmacy?”

Julia had ten minutes to get ready as she pulled on a mismatched combination of clean and dirty clothes unable to concentrate. Her mind not wanting to jump to any conclusions just yet. This must just be a hangover, she couldn’t be…

Her hands were clasped together on her knee in the back of the car, her thumbs nervously picking at the skin around her nails as she tried to swallow down another wave of queasiness. Her phone vibrated in her bag next to her, but she ignored it. She needed to deal with the here and now, whoever it was could wait.

“Thanks Jean. I won’t be long”

Julia climbed out the car and half walked, jogged over to the pharmacy. Once inside her eyes frantically searched for the correct aisle. Thankfully the small pharmacy didn’t hold an overwhelming range of tests, so she picked the most familiar one and stepped away before stepping back and grabbing three more. If Julia Montague was anything, she was thorough, and this was something she needed to be certain about. Joining the queue her toe tapped nervously and impatiently against the cheap tiled flooring. A lady in front of her looked round and took in Julia’s handful of pregnancy tests and looked at her with raised eyebrows and a smile on her face “Bonne chance”

“Merci” Julia replied politely thinking that perhaps it would be good luck if they were positive, but she had a nagging doubt in her mind. Yes, her and David never used protection having agreed to just see what happened but that was nearly six months ago with a lot of sex in that time and nothing. Neither had dwelled on it and Julia had simply come to the conclusion it wouldn’t happen for them and made peace with it. This felt different though, she had suffered a great deal of hangovers before but was never usually sick. She had spent several mornings feeling off-colour and it would certainly explain why she kept crying at sad films and when the children or her mother had said something kind. Plus, the dates made sense, her last period hardly even showing.

Stepping forward in the queue Julia shook her head slightly. She didn’t want to convince herself she was pregnant in case she wasn’t, unsure of how she would react to the news either way. It seemed like she was in the queue a lifetime and not the torturous five minutes she had actually endured as she ran back across to Jean’s car. “Thanks Jean, just straight back to the chalet please”. She bundled the plastic carrier bag in her lap and hoped David wasn’t back yet so she could get her head round whatever news she was about to find out.

David laid on a bed in the medical centre, a cut above his left eye and his wrist braced as he waited for an X-Ray. Feeling brave after his lesson and with no response from Julia he assumed she must still be asleep and decided to go and try a blue slope on his own. His confidence growing as he weaved his way down it. That was until his feet and skis were taken out from under him by a rolling snowboarder, his body flying into the air and his wrist breaking his fall. He felt the crack as he landed and then the wallop as his ski pole catapulted into his face. It wasn’t until he got to the medical centre and they had taken his ski jacket off that he had chance to call Julia. Again, he was met by her voicemail and rather than leaving a message and worrying her he settled with a text asking her to call him when he got chance.

Oblivious to David’s current state, Julia dropped her handbag onto the sofa in the living area and took the plastic bag into the bathroom. Studying the instructions on one she took a deep breath and opened all the packets. With all four lined up on the side she checked her watch and sat herself on the floor of the bathroom, her back against the wall as she waited the longest three minutes of her life. Her heart beat nervously, her palms sweating and her head pressing against her knees as she pulled them into her chest. She listened to the second hand on her watch tick softly, checking it from time to time as it got closer to the possibility of life changing news.

Thankful for the Montague’s seemingly being a big name around these parts David was seen quickly once he mentioned where he was staying. His arm was safely supported in a fresh white cast and his eyebrow had two stitches in as he walked out of the medical centre feeling a little battered and bruised. Checking his phone again he was growing concerned that Julia hadn’t responded yet. Ringing Jean instead he explained what had happened and took a seat indoors whilst he waited for him to come and collect him.

Julia sat crossed legged in the middle of the still unmade bed, her heart still racing but this time not from anticipation but from fear and excitement. Four positive results sat in front of her and her excitement for David to get home was palpable. She hoped he would be as happy as she was. This wasn’t something she wanted to share over the phone but she had tried calling him once she read his text but it went straight to voicemail. Scooping up the four sticks she placed them in the bedside table drawer and walked over to the mirror, lifting her jumper and turning to the side. Her stomach still flat as she ran her hands over what she now knew was in there.

“Julia” David’s slightly exasperated voice boomed from the room next door followed by the dull thud of the door closing behind him.

Julia pulled her jumper down and ran out to greet him and tell him the news. That was until she was greeted by the sight of him. A white sling elevating his wrist and his face red and bloodied with two steri-stips protecting the stitches above his eye. “David! What the hell happened?”

“I’m alright. I got knocked off my feet on one of the slopes. It’s just a broken wrist and couple of stitches”

“Come, sit down” Julia helped him out of his jacket and led him to the sofa, helping him down onto it.

“Honestly I’m fine. Just a bit sore. How are you feeling?”

If only he knew Julia thought but now didn’t seem to be the time. “It doesn’t matter how I feel. Look at you. I’m so sorry”

“Aye. Happy New Year eh?”

“Hmm it has been an interesting day so far hasn’t it. Do you want anything? Painkillers?”

“In my coat pocket” He gestured to his coat pocket for Julia to pull out the box of painkillers he had been given. “I don’t understand the French so not a clue how many to take or when to take them”

Julia quickly interpreted the instructions and popped two tablets out for him and fetched him a glass of water to wash them down with. She took the glass from him and pulled him into her arms, her lips kissing the top of his head as he rested against her. “We should get you cleaned up”

David ran his finger over his covered stitches as he looked in the large bedroom mirror. The aroma and steam from the hot bath that Julia was running for him slowly making its way into the room. He could see her reflection in the mirror, collecting fresh towels for him. Considering her state this morning he was impressed at how radiant she now looked. Far more radiant than he did at this moment in time.

Julia helped David out of his t-shirt, guiding it over his cast and being careful to stretch the neck over his head so it didn’t brush against his stitches. He undid his trousers one handed and stepped out of them before letting Julia help him with his thermal layers. Despite the dried blood and some grazing Julia still admired him as he stood in his tight boxers in front of her. Her eyes wandering down his taught body and lingering over his broad chest. The light was falling outside, and the room was cosily lit by the two bedside lamps, emphasising the definition in his muscles. Julia took the damp washcloth that she had prepared and softly pressed it against David’s face to soften the dried blood. The way she admired him had not gone unnoticed by David and he snaked his hands around her waist, holding her to him as she dabbed at his slightly raw skin. Her other hand resting on his shoulder. He winced slightly as she cleaned a graze on his jawline and she stilled her hand, kissing his lips softly “Nearly done”. Her touch soothing him as she continued to care for him.

“I guess the plan to see the new year in in the hot tub is out now”

“Yes, well I think we’ve probably made the most of the hot tub anyway don’t you?”

“Aye. You could say that. And the fur rug”

“Hmmm I think there is still some more time we could spend there before we leave” Her lips curving into a seductive smile as her arms looped around his neck.

David bent his head towards her and kissed her “If you say so”

David rested his elbow on the side of the bath, keeping his cast dry. Julia was peeling her knickers off next him and he watched them drop to the floor. Shuffling forward he let her climb behind him, her legs wrapping around his side as she guided him back against her chest. Her hands running through his hair and her lips kissing the top of his head again. “Lean your head back so I can wash your hair”

He did as she asked and tipped his head back, ignoring the stiffness that was forming in his neck and the one between his legs as he felt her breasts pushing against him. Her hands scooped the warm water over his hair, keeping his stitches dry. Her touch gentle and delicate as she ran her slender fingers through his thick hair. He kept his eyes open, watching the concentration and concern on her face as she massaged the shampoo into his hair, her lips pouting delicately. Julia’s eyes caught his momentarily and she swiftly stuck her tongue out at him causing him to burst into laughter. He stayed laid against her as his eyes shut through sheer tiredness, her hands still stroking down his chest.

Julia heard David’s gentle snoring as she breathed in his clean scent and nestled into the warm bath water, her mind reeling with her own news and how she was going to tell David. The shock of him coming home injured had distracted her and she wanted him to be able to celebrate the news with her properly, not covered in dried blood and exhausted.

Julia had to wake David as the water grew cold around them and she offered her hand out to him to help him out the bath. “I’ll go and start the fire and we can dry off in the living room”. David nodded and followed her out the bathroom. He was silently impressed at how quickly she lit a roaring fire as he relaxed back on the sofa.

“right, give me a minute and I will rustle up some food”

David groaned dramatically, earning him a playful slap on the shoulder as she walked by him. “I’m not that bad a cook. How wrong can bread and cheese go?”

“I’m pretty sure you could burn water. It’s a good job we will have wine to wash it down with”

Julia faltered slightly. She couldn’t drink any wine now. “Yeah maybe for you. I don’t think wine is a good idea after last night”

“Still feeling delicate?”

“Yeah, something like that”

David let out a small laugh as she disappeared back into the bedroom. Reappearing ten minutes or so later with freshly washed hair and not an ounce of makeup on. Clean and glowing. Darkness had taken hold outside and the starry sky filled the expanse of windows in the room. The firelight lit the room with several soft lamps adding some brightness. Julia busied herself in the kitchen area, transporting food to the coffee table in front of David, insistent that he rested. The bruising on his face now turning a purply red tone.

“Not quite what we had in mind, but it will do. Tuck in” Julia passed David a plate and let him fill it with cheese and bread. Her mind working overtime to figure out if she should even be eating cheese or not. To be on the safe side she buttered a large piece of French baguette and spread it with some pate instead.

“Quite the day” David sighed as he ate.

“Hmm quite…” Julia put her plate down on the table “…David there’s something I need to tell you”

David put his empty plate on the table on top of hers and shuffled forward so he was sitting more upright “Before you do I have something I need to say as well”

“Oh ok. You first…” Julia looked down as David’s hand came to her face and caressed her cheek

“I know its corny but with only a couple of hours left of this year I want to tell you that this year has been one of the hardest but the best years of my life. I couldn’t have got through it without you by my side and I know you’ve struggled, what with the aftermath of the shooting and the bombing but I want you to know I’ll never let anything bad happen to you”

“I know David…I know” Julia whispered softly in his palm as she turned her face into it as he lovingly stroked her face

“You’re everything to me and the fact I get to enter the new year with you as my fiancé and look for somewhere to live with you and the kids isn’t something I ever thought I would have again or deserve. Thank you. Thank you for believing in me”

Julia held her hand over his on her face and looked at him as he thanked her. His face sincere and trusting. “You don’t need to thank me David. I never expected this either but sometimes the happiest times come from the things you least expect, and I am so, so happy. Which leads me on to what I wanted to tell you”

Julia wrapped her hand around David’s and rested it on her knee. Her stomach filled with anxious and excited butterflies as she spoke “I’m pregnant”

“No” David immediately responded, his voice looking at her in shock and confusion before he realised she wasn’t joking. Julia noticed his eyes wrinkle as he smiled and then laughed, pulling her into a tight hug that nearly made her fall off the sofa

“Yes I am. We are having a baby”

“How? When?”

Julia leant back from him “Do I really need to explain how?”

“When did you find out?”

“Earlier today. That’s why I never answered your calls. I was on my way to the pharmacy to buy a test when I realised that it was possibly more than a hangover. I bought four and they were all positive”

They both giggled together in joy at the news. Julia relieved that David was as happy as she was and David finally realising why she was looking so radiant and had been unusually emotional for her recently. They hugged and kissed one another over and over, collapsing onto the fur rug, entwined with one another, their bathrobes discarded and their skin glowing in the light of the fire. Julia letting David fill her as she gasped on top of him, making love to him as he looked up at her like she was the most precious thing in the world to him.

The clock struck midnight as they laid in one another’s arms, a blanket covering their naked bodies as they laid in post coital bliss. David’s healthy arm wrapped around Julia as her head rested on his chest, the ring on the end of her necklace clasped in her hand. “Happy New Year love”

“Happy New Year” Julia smiled to herself as she felt his lips brush against the top of her head and moved her other hand across her lower stomach, stroking her thumb across the baby boy or girl growing inside of her.


	11. 1st January

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is a bit later than normal in the day. My New Year's Day hangover has been quite something so I apologise for typos in this chapter as I am not firing on all cylinders!
> 
> Last chapter will be uploaded tomorrow!!

1st January

The fire had long since burnt out when the bright morning light woke David. Julia still sleeping soundly on his chest. A new year and a new member of the family to welcome. He couldn’t believe she was pregnant, and a smile traced his lips as he thought of all the fun they had that had gotten them to this moment. Sex was never an issue for them and getting pregnant had never been the prime objective. Them both happy with the arrangement with Charlie and Ella and seeing Aimee every now and again but the thought of a new baby that was theirs excited him. He looked down, taking in Julia’s long, dark eyelashes and the freckles that ran over her nose and cheeks and conjured up images of what their child might look like, his hand stroking her bare shoulder.

The heat from David’s chest was comforting against her cheek as she remembered where they were when the fur beneath her tickled against her waist. Her lip curling in a contented smile as she remembered the night before. David’s hand was firmly stroking her shoulder, the warmth of him radiating through her body as she fluttered her eyes open, steeling herself for the bright, morning light. She turned her head to look up at David who had felt her movements and was already looking down at her when she leant up to kiss him good morning.

“Morning love. How are you feeling?”

“Morning. I’m good” Julia rolled onto her front, propping herself up on her elbows, letting herself wake up properly. “How are you? Your wrist ok?”

“I ache all over and my wrists a bit painful”

Let me get you some painkillers” Julia leapt to her feet, the room spinning as she stood upright. The now familiar queasiness circling around in her stomach. She stood for a second, breathing in slowly as David sat himself up.

“Leave it. I will get them. You look like you need to sit down”

“I’m not ill David, just pregnant. I refuse to be one of those women who act like it’s a disease” She searched the floor for her bathrobe and stepped over David’s legs to bend and pick it up. Swinging it around her shoulders as she walked to the kitchen area and poured herself and David a glass of juice.

David winced as he got up from the floor slowly, letting his stiff joints ease up as he stood tall. He took his tablets from Julia and downed them with his juice before looking for his own bathrobe. “You’re stood on my bathrobe love”

“I know” Julia looked down at her feet, shuffling and planting both on it firmly. “You look much better without it”

“haha I see. You know I will get cold”

“I could warm you up”

“You are good at that. However, don’t you think you should maybe take it easy”

“What? Are you kidding me?” Julia stepped back off the robe and put some distance between them feeling a little rejected and irritated. An irrational and surprising amount of anger building in her chest.

“I just mean you need to think about getting enough rest”

“I’ve just said I’m pregnant, not sick” Julia’s voice grew louder as she became more annoyed. She bent down and thrust David’s bathrobe towards him.

“I know that, but you need to be careful”

“Oh fuck off David. I’m not an invalid, I’m pretty sure you’re allowed to have sex pregnant but have it your way” David had barely registered what she had said before he was stood alone in the living space as the bedroom door closed. He shook his head in disbelief at what had just happened and slowly guided his broken arm into one arm of the bathrobe before reaching behind for the other sleeve, tying it as best he could.

Julia perched on the end of the bed feeling tears pricking at her eyes as she seethed. She ignored the knocking at the bedroom door.

“Julia…Julia please. You know I didn’t mean it like that”

David’s voice was muffled through the door and she picked up the nearest thing she could get her hands on and flung it at the bedroom door. The dull thud of the feather pillow not really having the desired effect as a cloud of feathers filled the air. She blew some of the white feathers away from her that were floating in front of her and swiped at the angry tears now spilling down her face. The rational part of her knew it was her hormones, but the irrational part was angry that he thought she was being careless. Julia Montague was rarely careless, and she certainly didn’t need to be told what to do. She knew her own body.

“Julia, can I come in? Let’s talk about this” There had only been one other time where they had sat on the other side of the door to one another in the Blackwood and David wasn’t keen to repeat the hours of silent treatment he received after that. Most of the time he admired her stubborn nature and her inability to never back down. All qualities he hoped their child would have but at times like this it was the most irritating part about her.

“Please. Just leave me alone”

David sighed as he pressed his forehead against the door. He turned his back to it and slid his body down until he was leant against it. He was prepared to wait.

Julia played with a stray feather in her fingertips, running it along the palm of her hands as she let her anger dissipate. She knew he was on the other side of the door, she could see his shadow under the small gap. He could wait. Shuffling back against the headboard she slipped her legs under the covers and picked up her phone from the bedside table. She unlocked it and pressed on her safari app. Tapping the search bar, she typed in _‘what to expect when pregnant’_. By her calculations she couldn’t be anymore than eight weeks and she clicked on a link about the first trimester. Her face growing slightly hot when she read about mood swings, emotional outbursts and the nausea and vomiting she may be experiencing. She mentally checked them off in her mind as she read down the list. _“Fuck”_ she thought as she looked to David’s shadow still present under the door.

David heard the lock turn in the bedroom door, and he sat up as she opened the door to him. His eyes taking note of the pile of feathers trailing from the doorway to the bed and then up to Julia’s tear stained face.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been a total cow. Please forgive me”

David got to his feet and pulled her into his good arm “All is forgiven”

Julia held him tightly, feeling embarrassed at her behaviour “I think my hormones might be playing up. Either way I shouldn’t have taken it out on you”

David reached up and picked a feather from her hair “Did you take it out on the pillows as well?”

Blushing Julia looked down at the floor “Not exactly, that was meant for you behind the door”

He had heard the soft thud against the door, and he laughed at her admission “I’m sure all those feathers would have finished me off”

Julia traced the grazes and bruises on his face with her fingertips lightly and pressed a gently kiss across his covered stitches “Can we just start today again?”

“Aye. Come one” David held her hand and pulled her towards the bed, kicking up feathers as they went. He pulled back the covers properly and shrugged his bathrobe off.

“What are you doing?”

“You said you wanted to start today again. Come on get in”

Julia didn’t move “But we didn’t wake up in here”

“Work with me on this one Julia. It took me about five minutes to get up off the floor. Come on, get in”

Julia hesitated on the tie of her bathrobe and then swiftly undid and crawled under the cover next to him. Scooting up close to him and letting him wrap his arm around her.

“Morning love”

Julia turned to him and rolled her eyes and giggled softly. “Morning. You are too good to me David Budd”

“I suppose you’re worth it” He kissed the top of her head lovingly as they snuggled together.

“We are worth it you mean? After all its whatever is in here that’s making me a moody cow”

David unwrapped his arm from her shoulder and let her head rest against the headboard as she shuffled down the bed, letting his hand come to rest on her stomach. Smoothing his hand over her soft skin before bending and pressing his lips to it and whispering loud enough for Julia to hear “Hey you in there. Give your Mummy a break”

Julia giggled as his breath tickled her skin until the sound of him saying “Mummy” stopped her.

“I’m really going to be a Mummy” her voice half disbelief and joy as David came back up to hers, his face in front of hers

“Yes you are love” He kissed her gently and propped himself up next to her.

“It feels so weird knowing I’m going to have a son or daughter”

“They will be the luckiest kid ever”

“How do you think Charlie and Ella will react?”

“They will be so happy. They dote on Aimee. I think Charlie will be disappointed if it’s another girl though”

“And you…would you like another boy?”

“As long as he or she is healthy I don’t mind. What do you want?”

“I agree. I think we are lucky at my age to be even expecting a child. I need to make an appointment once I am home to get checked out. I read that I am a geriatric mother. It makes me sound about eighty”

“Don’t believe everything you read on the internet”

“It’s true! Anyone thirty-five years or older” She pulled a face of disgust as she said it as David tried to suppress his laughter at her outrage.

Trying to sooth her annoyance he kissed her shoulder

“You needn’t try and butter me up. It’s a fact. I’ve read all about what to expect. If I am 7-8 weeks like we think, then he or she is the size of a blueberry. I don’t even like blueberry’s” her face looking concerned.

“How much have you actually googled?”

“Oh everything. I also know to expect fatigue, more nausea, bloating and constipation over the next few weeks, oh and to top all that off breasts so tender its painful so there goes our sex life”

“Woah Julia” David took the phone from her hand that she had started gesticulating with in the air as she reeled off the list of future symptoms. “Just because that’s what it says, doesn’t mean that’s what’s going to happen. Everybody is different” He placed her phone on his side of the bed and knelt up in front of her, placing his knees either side of her legs so he was sitting on top of her.

“I know” Julia idly picked at a loose piece of cotton padding sticking out of David’s cast “The press are going to love this”

“Fuck what they think. You and the baby come first. What can they say about us that’s worse than what they have printed already?”

Julia looked through her eyelashes at David “I’m not bothered about what they say, I’m bothered about the pictures they will print when I am waddling out of No.10”

“I don’t imagine any Montague has ever waddled”

“I’m just being moody. Ignore me”

David placed his hand on her check and kissed her again “You are going on like a geriatric”

“You cheeky bastard” Julia slapped him playfully as she managed to locate her sense of humour again. He ran his hand down her side tickling her waist, his legs pinning her to the bed as she wriggled beneath him.

Their lips crashing together as he stopped. Her soft lush lips against his as he pressed down on top of her and moved to kiss along her jawline and neck. His breath blowing against Julia’s ear as he interrupted her soft moans “This breast tenderness…has it started yet?”

“God no” She reached for the top of his head, pressing it down to her bare chest as he took one of her nipples in his mouth, sucking and circling it with his tongue.

Julia writhed underneath him, her stomach filling with excitement and the space between her thighs growing wetter as she felt him hardening against her. Heat coursing through her body.

David pressed against her as her hand reached down between them taking him in her grasp, her other hand flat against his chest pushing him off her onto his back as she took over from him and straddled herself over him. Her lips kissing down his chest, her eyes trained on his as she ran her hands up and down his erection. David took in a sharp breath as her mouth hovered over the tip, blowing warm air onto it as she moved her hands and wrapped her lips around him. Her mouth taking him all in as she moved down him and then her tongue taking over as she licked from the base to the tip and flicking it over the head of his dick. He shut his eyes enjoying the warmth and motion of her mouth.

The excitement in her stomach lurched as she licked and sucked him until she felt the familiar churn begin. She quickly looked up at David, enjoying the moment but it was no use, she couldn’t ignore it.

David’s eyes opened as she removed her mouth from him, expecting her to be crawling back up the bed towards him but instead he saw a brief flash of her running towards the bathroom, her hand covering her mouth and more feathers filling the air as she disturbed them on the floor. He heard the sound of her being sick in the toilet bowl and quickly followed her.

“You’re alright” He softly stroked her back as she threw up, passing her some tissue to wipe her watering eyes when she raised her head.

“I can’t believe that just happened. I promise it wasn’t you” Julia said breathlessly, her head still facing the toilet bowl as her stomach lurched again.

David pulled a towel from the nearby rail and wrapped it around his waist then pulled one for Julia. He wrapped it around her back and let her tuck it around her front as she sat back against the tiled wall. “Thank god for that”

“I think you know from past experiences that it wasn’t you” Julia smirked as she let shut her eyes trying to block out the waves of nausea.

David sat down next to her, taking her hand in his.

“I think I could be in here a while” She clutched the piece of tissue to her mouth, unsure if she was going to be sick again “You might as well go and rest your arm in front of some tv. There’s no point both of us sitting on a cold tile floor”

“Don’t be silly. There’s no place I’d rather be than here with you”

“You might regret that when I’m throwing up again”

“No chance. I love you…my little geriatric”

Before Julia could even swing for him her head was in the toilet bowl again.


	12. 2nd January

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter!
> 
> Thank you for all who have read and left Kudos and lovely comments.
> 
> A HUUUUUUGE thank you to the guys who set up the fic-exchange! It's been great and I have loved reading everyone's work.

2nd January

David had just finished stowing away his suitcase as he collapsed onto the sofa with Julia. Her morning sickness better than it was yesterday. David’s anxiety on the plane a lot better due to his exhaustion from being up the majority of the night worrying about it whilst Julia slept soundly beside him. She lifted David’s arm and propped a cushion under it “You need to keep your wrist elevated”

“Yes Ma’am” David said teasingly

Julia rolled her eyes at him as she rested his plastered arm onto the cushion she had placed on his lap. “Less of the Ma’am”

“I thought you liked it when I called you Ma’am” David raised his eyebrows suggestively as he turned to her with a glint in his eye

“You know I do” She leant forward and placed a chaste kiss on his lips before moving into the kitchen and picking a take away menu out of the drawer. “Chinese? Indian? What do you fancy?”

“You”

Julia laughed and joined him back on the sofa, one leg curled under her, her other resting against David’s “Well I am not on the menu so if you don’t make a decision I will. I am starving”

“Chinese”

“I don’t fancy Chinese”

David looked at her in surprise “You just told me to pick”

“I know but I don’t fancy it”

“Order whatever love”

Julia started inputting an order on her phone before leaning and placing it on the coffee table. “It will be thirty minutes”

“We could do a lot in thirty minutes” David’s arm snuck around her waist, pulling her into him so her face was beside his, her hair bushing his cheek

“What’s got into you?”

David kissed the side of her head as she placed her hand on his firm thigh “You. You look so sexy pregnant. You are glowing”

“I’m sure that’s just sweat from being sick so much” She turned to look at David, taking note of the desire in his eyes as he stared into hers

David pressed his lips softly to hers. She left him take his lips in hers, let him kiss her tenderly as her hand moved to his cheek “It’s not sweat. You look beautiful love”

Julia’s heart skipped a beat as it always did when he called her ‘love’ and she returned his kiss. “Have I told you how much I love you?”

Their lips moving between kisses as their passion grew “Maybe you could show me again”

Julia giggled a little against his lips “Is that your way of asking me to finish what I started yesterday?” her hand moving up his thigh and under the cushion and rubbing the hardening bulge in his trousers.

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about” David said innocently against her lips as his eyes met hers, a twinkle of amusement passing between them. He lifted his broken arm as he felt her hand moving under the cushion and hooked it around her neck as gently as he could, pulling her head and lips closer to his, a tiny groan escaping his mouth as he felt her tongue flick against his.

David’s jeans were discarded on the floor by the side of the sofa and his t-shirt had landed a short distance away when Julia had stripped him of it and his boxers. Her own dress slung over the back of sofa. He held her hair gently as she took him in her mouth, the warmth and moisture immediately sending a spread of warmth through David’s thighs and stomach. Julia bobbed her head up and down as she pressed her tongue against him and then delicately kissed and flicked her tongue across his tip, occasionally raising her eyes up to meet his. David’s breath was unsteady and wanting as he rested his head back and enjoyed the feel of himself in her mouth. The urge to come close as he squashed it back down wanting to revel in the moment. Biding his time, he sat forward, stopping Julia and titling her chin up to him and then kissing her passionately as she knelt up to him. Her hands in his hair, pulling him to her as she stood up and took his hand.

Julia led David into their bedroom. His eyes focussing on her pert behind partly covered by a pair of blush coloured silk knickers trimmed with black. In the bedroom she turned to him in the dusky afternoon light. The shadows created from the light in the living room highlighting her breasts and the outline of her now erect nipples straining against her matching silk bra. Reaching behind her she unclasped her bra and dropped it to the floor. Sitting on the edge of the bed she held her palm out to David, stopping him from joining her before bringing her legs up and pushing herself into the centre of the bed. Resting one hand behind her and spreading her legs, her other hand disappeared into the waistband of her knickers. David watched in awe as she rubbed her fingers along herself, her breath quickening as he ran his hand over his erection unable to control himself when she laid back and slipped the silk underwear down her slender legs. The moment she slipped two fingers inside herself David moved to the foot of the bed, kneeling before her as she laid playing with herself. Her excitement clear when David grabbed her wrist and removed her fingers and then wrapped his lips around them, licking her moisture from them. He leant the elbow of his broken arm by the side of her head and hovered over her, guiding his tip towards her. Julia laid both hands by the side of her head as he thrust into her and then used his other hand to intertwine with hers as she matched the quick pace he had set.

Julia cried out as pleasure rippled through her. Her thighs tightening around David as he continued to thrust into her, his mouth biting at her shoulder when he came inside her. Both lay breathless and spent in the grey light of the bedroom, their noses and lips brushing against one another lovingly. “Best new year ever” David whispered against her lips as she ran a hand through his hair.

“Hmm it has been rather good. And we still have the weekend before I go back to work”

“I’m sure we can make the most of it”

Julia smiled lovingly at him “I’m sure we can” her lips kissing him for one last time as she shuffled from under him and made her way to the bathroom.

David got up and turned the light on. Finding some jogging bottoms, he slipped them on and got a t-shirt out. Julia came back into the room as he was feeding his pot into one of the sleeves and helped him into it, avoiding his stitches. Kissing her head, he disappeared into the living room as she dressed in a pair of cashmere jogging bottoms and a jumper. She heard the door buzz and could hear David chatting to the guard on her door. Feeling her stomach grumble she pulled her jumper over her head and quickly brushed her slightly wild looking curls back into order.

Pulling the cardboard containers out of the brown bags David’s mouth salivated at the smell of fish and chips. Forgoing plates he set out salt and vinegar on the countertop and tomato ketchup. Julia followed the smell to the kitchen as David opened the containers. “Good choice love”

“I’m blaming this little thing” Julia pointed to her stomach “They wanted chips”

“Oh is that right ha. Are you going to blame every unhealthy meal on the baby”

“Absolutely. It’s the perfect excuse” Julia picked a chip from her box and popped it in her mouth as she squirted ketchup into a corner and carried them to the sofa. David sat opposite her, their boxes open on the coffee table between them.

“Oh my god these are the best thing I have put in my mouth”

David gulped down his mouthful of fish as Julia devoured another chip “The best thing?”

Julia arched one eyebrow at David “Well…one of the best things”

Happy with her response David continued to eat. His appetite strong after the last half hour of activities and Julia’s more so due to her inability to keep anything down over the last forty-eight hours.

The boxes lay empty on the kitchen counter as Julia’s head rested on David’s knee in front of the tv. His wrist elevated on the arm of the sofa and his other hand twirling a strand of Julia’s hair through his fingers. “I don’t understand what they are saying”

“You aren’t meant to”

“How do Charlie and Ella even like this? I can’t believe we have agreed to watch the second one with them tomorrow night”

“We can watch something else?”

“No. Ella said I need to watch this one before Minnions 2 or I won’t understand what’s going on”

“I could easily just have told you”

“I promised I’d watch it. It’s just the yellow things don’t use proper words”

David rolled his eyes and laughed to himself. “I’m sure they will love that you have watched it”

Julia twisted her head up to David’s “I love them as well you know…your kids”

“Aye, I know you do” He looked down at Julia’s earnest face staring back up at him “They love you to”

“I don’t want them to think that because we are having a baby that I don’t love them as much”

“Love, you are worrying too much. They have more people who love them than anyone what with you and Andy as well as Me and Vick”

“I suppose, when you put it like that. When we start looking for a house it will be nice for them to have their own room”

“Yeah I can’t imagine Ella is going to want to share much longer. Four bedrooms around here isn’t going to be cheap. We will have to start thinking about what area we fancy that’s still close to their school”

“Hmm. I will get my assistant onto some estate agents on Monday and see what the options are”

“I can go by some places on Monday after Vick and I have met with the solicitors”

“Did she say how long the divorce would take to go through?”

“Once we have signed the papers, it should all go through pretty quickly”

Julia pulled herself up from David’s lap and sat next to him, resting her elbow on the back of the sofa, bringing her knees to her chest

“How do you feel about it?”

David stared at the yellow characters on the tv and turned to Julia “Happy…and excited. It feels like we can finally start our life together”

Julia rubbed her hand over her stomach and ran the ring along the chain around her neck “I think we have already started that”

David nodded as she said it “I know but what I mean is we can start it properly. New house, new baby, new wife!”

“New family”

“Exactly”

Julia leant forward and kissed his cheek before laying her head back in his lap and turning her attention back to the film.

Julia laid in David’s arms in bed later that night, his body laid against her back and their legs curled around one another. His hand laid over her soon to be growing stomach. She could hear his breathing growing deeper as he drifted off to sleep. “David”

“Mmmhmmm” Too tired to speak properly

“I’m really happy”

David nuzzled into her neck placing a light kiss behind her ear “Me too love”

They both drifted off to sleep in the darkness, Julia’s hand covering David’s on her stomach and a soft smile traced on both their lips.


End file.
